Synthesis and characterization Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ nanocrystals prepared via solvothermal refluxing route

Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ nanocrystals were prepared via co-precipitation-solvothermal refluxing-calcination method using three kinds of organic solvents, propylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol and polyethylene glycol and yttrium chloride hexahydrate and europium chloride as starting materials. The Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ nanocrystals with diameter of 20-50 nm prepared by refluxing in polyethylene glycol followed by calcinations at 800-1000 °C exhibited the strongest luminescence at 611 nm under the excitation wavelength of 254 nm than the reference sample prepared via conventional co-precipitation method. The photoluminescence spectra of the samples were recorded at room temperature. The effect of concentration of Eu³⁺ (Eu³⁺/Y³⁺ atomic ratio: 0.01-0.1) on the photoluminescence intensity was also investigated. The samples with the Eu³⁺/Y³⁺ atomic ratio of 0.07 exhibited the strongest emission at 611 nm and quenching effect was observed above 0.10.