A rapid hydrothermal synthesis of rare earth oxide activated Y (OH)3 and Y2O3 nanotubes.

One-dimensional single crystalline rare earth ion (Tm(3+), Tb(+3), and Eu(3+)) doped Y (OH)(3) nanotubes with inner diameters of 20-110 nm, outer diameters of 50-140 nm, and 1-5 microm in length were prepared for the first time by a rapid hydrothermal method within a short reaction period (5 min) at subcritical temperature (320 degrees C) and high pressure (about 40 MPa). A temperature dependent nanostructure evolution study was performed under rapid hydrothermal conditions and the effects of other processing parameters such as concentration of KOH and reaction time were found to be key parameters for the formation of highly anisotropic crystal structures of rare earth hydroxide nanotubes. Rare earth ion (Tm(3+), Tb(+3), and Eu(3+)) doped Y(2)O(3) nanotubes can be obtained after calcinations above 450 degrees C. The luminescent property of rare earth doped Y(2)O(3) nanotubes was also explored and compared with reference samples prepared via a conventional co-precipitation method.