Facile synthesis and luminescent properties of Y2O3:Eu3+ nanophosphors via thermal decomposition of cocrystallized yttrium europium propionates

Y2O3:Eu3+ nanophosphors were fabricated by direct thermal decomposition of monohydrate yttrium europium propionates, which can be facilely obtained via cocrystallization. The composition and structure of the cocrystallized product were confirmed by X-ray diffractionmetry (XRD), simultaneous differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) as well as inductively coupled plasma mass (ICP-MS) spectrometry. The effects of decomposition temperature on the resultant microstructures such as crystallinity, particle size and particle dispersibility were investigated by XRD and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The dependence of their luminescent properties on decomposition temperature was also studied by fluorescence spectrophotometry. The results showed that the microstructures and luminescent intensities of Y2O3:Eu3+ nanophosphors could be tuned by varying calcination temperatures of cocrystallized yttrium europium propionates from 600 to 1000 °C.