Texture properties of yttrium oxides generated from different inorganic precursors

Abstract

The texture properties of four samples of Y 2O 3 (cubic structure) generated from different inorganic precursors (hydrated Yttrium acetate, Y(CH 3COO) 3·4H 2O; nitrate, Y(NO 3) 3·5H 2O and oxalate, Y 2(C 2O 4) 3·8H 2O) at different temperatures have been studied using BET, pore size distribution, cumulative surface area, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that samples obtained from both acetate at 700°C (55 m 2/gm) and nitrate at 500°C (58 m 2/gm) are very similar in surface area and pore structure (a wider spectrum of mesoporosity); i.e., good precursors for catalyst and catalyst support. The third sample obtained from oxalate at 700°C exhibits a lower surface area (12 m 2/gm) and different in pore structure, i.e., a good precursors for ceramics and superconductor manufacture. For Y 2O 3 generated from nitrate, the increase in calcination temperature from 500 to 700 °C caused a decrease in the surface area from 58 to 20 m 2/g, and in the microporosity development. The SEM and particle size calculations have been used to assess the surface properties of Y 2O 3 samples.