Rare-earth-doped yttrium oxide nanoplatelets and nanotubes: controllable fabrication, topotactic transformation and upconversion luminescence

A series of tetragonal nanoplatelet precursors with various Y/Yb/Er ratios can be successfully prepared in large quantities via a facile hydrothermal method using trimethylamine (TEA) as a hydrolysis reagent. Interestingly, tubular precursors can also be produced with the surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Moreover, the nanoplatelets and nanotubes topotactically convert into corresponding oxides through a calcination process at 650 °C for 2 h, and the original platelet-like and tubular morphologies are perfectly maintained. The luminescence properties of as-prepared Y2O3 are sensitively influenced by the dopant concentration. In addition, the doped Y2O3 nanoplatelets exhibit a stronger intensity than the nanotubes in the excitation and emission spectra. The rare-earth-doped Y2O3 precursors are promising candidates for potential applications in photonics, optics and display devices.