Cerium Nitrate Hexahydrate

Cerium Nitrate Hexahydrate melts at a low temperature (57 °C)and thermally decomposes at low temperatures too, beginning at 190 °C and proceeding rapidly at 280 °C with complete decomposition to cerium oxide at 390-400 °C.

Cerium Nitrate Hexahydrate has the structure of pinacoidal triclinic crystals.

Cerium nitrate hexahydrate is widely used as a source of cerium, especially in the synthesis of micro- or nano-structured ceria (cerium oxide).

Cerium nitrate hexahydrate is the most common nitrate of cerium(III). It is a component in a burn treatment cream that also includes silver sulphadiazine. Concentrations used are 0.5 M for the cerium nitrate. For very serious burns it reduces the death rate.