YCl3•6H2O Green Electro-metallurgical Preparation of Y2O3

Rare earth oxides possess exceptional physical and chemical properties, making them extensively utilized in various fields such as new materials, catalysis, and biomedicine. However, the current production process of Y2O3 inevitably results in the emission of pollutants like ammonia and nitrogen oxides. This article aims to address this issue by proposing the preparation of Y2O3 through the YCl3 center dot 6H(2)O electro-metallurgical method. In this method, an aqueous solution of YCl3 center dot 6H(2)Ois employed as the raw material, and through cation exchange membrane electrolysis technology, Y(OH)(3) precipitate with a layered structure is obtained at the cathode. The thermal decomposition process of yttrium hydroxide was investigated using XRD, FTIR, and DSC-TGA. Furthermore, the microstructure and particle size of the phases were analyzed using SEM and a laser particle size analyzer, demonstrating that the Y2O3 product inherits the precursor's structure. The electro-metallurgical process offers several advantages, including mild reaction conditions, simple equipment, and environmental friendliness.