Hydrothermal Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Lanthanum Oxide (La₂O₃) Nanorods

Lanthanum-based nanostructures have attracted increasing attention due to their unique physicochemical characteristics and relevance in catalysis, energy storage, and electronic applications. This study presents a comparative investigation of lanthanum nanorods and lanthanum nanoparticles with emphasis on their structural, thermal, and electronic properties. Both morphologies were synthesized under controlled conditions to ensure comparable composition while varying dimensional anisotropy. Structural characterization revealed distinct crystallographic orientation and aspect ratio-dependent lattice strain in nanorods, whereas nanoparticles exhibited more isotropic grain distribution and reduced directional growth. Thermal analysis demonstrated enhanced thermal stability and slower mass-loss kinetics in nanorods, attributed to their lower surface defect density along the longitudinal axis. In contrast, nanoparticles showed higher surface reactivity and earlier onset of thermal transformations due to their increased surface-to-volume ratio. Electronic property evaluation indicated morphology-dependent band structure variations, with nanorods displaying improved charge transport pathways and reduced recombination probability compared to nanoparticles. These findings highlight the significant role of shape anisotropy in tailoring the physicochemical performance of lanthanum nanostructures. The results provide insights for optimizing lanthanum-based materials in advanced functional applications where structural stability and electronic efficiency are critical.