An approach to Y2O3:Eu3+ optical nanostructured ceramics

Y2O3:Eu3+ (1 at%) translucent nanostructured ceramics with a total forward transmission of about 70% of the theoretical limit were obtained by the transformation-assisted consolidation of custom-made cubic Y2O3:Eu3+ nanopowders under high pressure. Sintering under a pressure of 7.7 GPa and temperatures in the range 100-500 C led to the partial cubic-to-monoclinic phase transition that resulted in two-phase Y2O3:Eu3+ nanoceramics. The average grain size of the ceramics was up to 50 nm for both Y2O3:Eu3+ polymorphs and was comparable with the crystallite size of the initial nanopowders (about 40 nm), indicating that the grain growth factor was near unity. The phase compositions, morphology, densities, preliminary optical and luminescent properties of the synthesised nanostructured ceramics were studied.