Synthesis of nanocrystalline rare earth oxides by glycothermal method

Abstract: The reaction of yttrium acetate hydrate in 1,2-propanediol at 300°C yielded a product containing acetate groups and glycol moieties. From this product, Y2O3 was directly crystallized at 400°C without the formation of a carbonate oxide phase. The thus-obtained Y2O3 samples had a small crystallite size (2.2nm) and significantly large surface area (280m2/g). Other nanocrystalline rare earth (Gd–Yb) oxides were also obtained by this method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]