Size-Controllable Synthesis of Submicro Spherical Yttrium Carbonate and In Situ Doping of Europium to Prepare Y2O3: Eu3+ Phosphor

Herein, size-controllable spherical yttrium carbonate powders with D-50 in range from 225 to 743 nm are synthesized from Y(NO3)(3)center dot 6H(2)O and urea. With the rise of the concentration ratio of urea/Y3+, temperature, and extension of aging time, diameter of yttrium carbonate spheres increases. When the urea/Y3+ is 40: 1 and ages for 4 h at 90 degrees C, the D-50 of synthesized powder, which has been determined as Y(OH)CO3 center dot 1.3H(2)O, has the largest D-50 of 743 nm with (D-90-D-10)/2D(50) of 0.22. After decomposition, the D-50 of formed Y2O3 decreases to 632 nm, the (D-90-D-10)/2D(50) is 0.24, and the D-50 of Y2O3 is in the range of 126-632 nm. Then, 6 mol. % Eu3+ is homogeneously doped into Y(OH)CO3 center dot 1.3H(2)O and Y2O3: Eu3+ spherical powder is obtained after roasting, which exhibits a strong emission peak at 613 nm. The developed synthetic method and the obtained size-controllable spherical Y(OH)CO3 center dot 1.3H(2)O, Y2O3, and Y2O3: Eu3+ with a uniform size distribution own various potential applications.