Y2O3:Eu3+ microstructures: Hydrothermal synthesis and photoluminescence properties

Abstract Hexagonal microprisms of yttrium hydroxide (Y(OH) 3 ) with tuned diameter and height have been successfully prepared for the first time via a facile hydrothermal process using sodium citrate as the shape modifying agent. Y(OH) 3 microspheres with diameter of ca. 2.5 μm and microtubes with an average length about 13 μm, outer diameter about 3 μm and tube thickness about 800 nm were also obtained in current reaction systems. The possible formation mechanism for the Y(OH) 3 microstructures was briefly proposed. Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ (5%) microstructures with similar morphologies was obtained after thermal treatment of the as-prepared Y(OH) 3 :Eu 3+ microstructures at 700 °C for 4 h. Results show that the relative emission intensity of the Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ microprisms is about 8 times as those of the Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ microtubes and microspheres under excitation of 259 nm ultraviolet light. The products were characterized by XRD, SEM, and EDS.