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 YCl₃·6H₂O electro-metallurgical method. In this method, an aqueous solution of YCl₃·6H₂O is 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.