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

Abstract

Herein, size‐controllable spherical yttrium carbonate powders with D50 in range from 225 to 743 nm are synthesized from Y(NO3)3·6H2O 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 °C, the D50 of synthesized powder, which has been determined as Y(OH)CO3·1.3H2O, has the largest D50 of 743 nm with (D90–D10)/2D50 of 0.22. After decomposition, the D50 of formed Y2O3 decreases to 632 nm, the (D90–D10)/2D50 is 0.24, and the D50 of Y2O3 is in the range of 126–632 nm. Then, 6 mol. % Eu3+ is homogeneously doped into Y(OH)CO3·1.3H2O 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)CO3·1.3H2O, Y2O3, and Y2O3: Eu3+ with a uniform size distribution own various potential applications.