Elaboration of nanostructured Eu3+-doped Gd2O3 phosphor fine spherical powders using polyol-mediated synthesis

Red-emitting Eu3+-doped Gd2O3 spherical powders were directly precipitated using a polyol method. The as-synthesized powders consist of agglomerates with a spherical shape and a size ranging between 0.4 and 0.6 mu m. Each agglomerate is nanostructured and consists of a packing of nanocrystallites (3-5 nm) of a bcc oxide phase whose luminescence presents original features in comparison with bulk materials. The powders were further calcinated and the size of both crystallites and agglomerates, the crystalline structure and the luminescence were studied as a function of the annealing temperature. For temperatures lower than 900 degrees C, the samples obtained are highly crystalline and possess the classical Eu3+ red luminescence. For optimized temperature, the morphology of the particles can be preserved leading to spherical, dense, luminescent and almost monodisperse oxide powders, 0.5 mu m in size.