Europium(III) oxide (Eu₂O₃), is a chemical compound of

europium Europium is a chemical element with the symbol Eu and atomic number 63. Europium is the most reactive lanthanide by far, having to be stored under an inert fluid to protect it from atmospheric oxygen or moisture. Europium is also the softest lanth ...

and oxygen. It is widely used as a red or blue

phosphor A phosphor is a substance that exhibits the phenomenon of luminescence; it emits light when exposed to some type of radiant energy. The term is used both for fluorescent or phosphorescent substances which glow on exposure to ultraviolet or vi ...

in television sets and fluorescent lamps, and as an activator for yttrium-based phosphors. It is also an agent for the manufacture of fluorescent glass. Europium fluorescence is used in the anti-counterfeiting phosphors in Euro banknotes. Europium oxide has two common structures: Monoclinic ( mS30, space group ''C''2/''m'', No. 12) and cubic ( cI80, space group ''I''a, No. 206). The cubic structure is similar to that of

manganese(III) oxide Manganese(III) oxide is a chemical compound with the formula Mn2O3. It occurs in nature as the mineral bixbyite (recently changed to bixbyite-(Mn)IMA 21-H: Redefinition of bixbyite and definition of bixbyite-(Fe) and bixbyite-(Mn). CNMNC Newslette ...

. It may be formed by ignition of

metal. It can react with acids to form the corresponding europium(III) salts.

Gallery

File:Tl2O3structure.jpg, Cubic Eu₂O₃ File:Gd2O3structure.jpg, Monoclinic Eu₂O₃

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Europium(Iii) Oxide Europium(III) compounds Glass engineering and science Sesquioxides