A novel synthesis route to rare earth polyborates

The proposed two-step preparation route for rare earth polyborates, i.e. dehydration of boric acid in the presence of rare earth oxide at low temperature followed by careful annealing at 700 degreesC, led to, for the gadolinium case, a new gadolinium pentaborate (GdB5O9) that can not be prepared by conventional high-temperature reaction.Chemistry, MultidisciplinarySCI(E)34ARTICLE131178-117