Rare earths (Ce, Eu, Tb) doped Y2Si2O7 phosphors for white LED

► Nanocrystalline Y2Si2O7 was obtained by the reaction of Y2O3:Ln3+ and colloidal silica at 1200 °C. ► Eu3+ can be partially reduced to Eu2+ in the Y2Si2O7 host lattice. ► The Y2Si2O7:Eu2+, Eu3+, Tb3+ sample emits white light. ► CRI=85 and QE ∼70% can be reached for the white emission.