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In this paper, submicro-scaled YF3 particles with uniform rice-like morphologies were facilely synthesized by reacting yttrium nitrate with tetrabutylammonium fluoride via a solid-state reaction process at 50 °C for 12 h. The phase confirmation and morphology of the as-prepared YF3 particles were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM results reveal that the YF3 submicroparticles are about 700 nm in length and 260 nm in width. Eu3+ and Tb3+ doped YF3 submicroparticles were also prepared with similar process and their photoluminescence properties were studied. Results demonstrate that the doping of Eu3+ and Tb3+ has slight effect on the morphologies of the product. Owing to the small average crystallite size or the low crystallinity of the product, the photoluminescence intensity of the Eu3+ and Tb3+ doped YF3 submicroparticles is very weak. Some characteristic peaks even cannot be observed in the emission spectrum.

Uniform europium-based infinite coordination polymer (ICP) submicrospheres have been prepared via a facile and fast microwave heating method in 5 min, with pyridine-2, 5-dicarboxylic acid and europium nitrate as reagents and N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) as solvent. The products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Thermogravimetric (TG) and derivative thermogravimetric analysis (DTG) were also carried out. XRD results reveal that the product is amorphous. SEM and TEM results show that the submicrospheres are with diameters of 200–400 nm. Furthermore, the surface of the microspheres is smooth and the submicrospheres are solid. Strong red emission centering at 618 nm was observed in the europium-based ICP microspheres on excitation with 394 nm UV light. This method may be employed to the preparation of other coordination polymers micro/nanostructures.