Synthesis and luminescence properties of Y2O3:Eu with flower-like microstructure

Europium-doped yttrium hydroxide (Y(OH)3:Eu) with flower-like microstructure has been successfully prepared via a facile hydrothermal process, using potassium sodium tartrate (C4H4O6KNa) as a structure-directing reagent. Europium-doped yttrium oxide (Y2O3:Eu) with similar morphology is prepared by calcining the as-prepared Y(OH)3:Eu at 700 °C for 4 h. Influencing factors such as the concentration of potassium sodium tartrate, the amount of sodium hydroxide, and the temperature used for hydrothermal synthesis are systematically investigated. Possible formation mechanism for the flower-like microstructure is proposed on the basis of time-dependent experiment. Y2O3:Eu samples show a strong red emission corresponding to the 5D0-7F2 transition of Eu3+ ions under excitation. Emission intensity varies between samples with different morphologies. The optimum Eu3+ doping concentration is also explored. This work sheds some light on the design and preparation of novel microstructures.

► We report a simple tartrate-assisted hydrothermal route to synthesis a novel flower-like Y(OH)3:Eu microstructure.
► The morphology was preserved after heat treatment to obtain flower-like Y2O3:Eu.
► A possible formation mechanism was proposed based on time-dependent experiments.
► Luminescence properties of products were investigated in detail.