Oxide and Sulfide Nanomaterials

Rare earth oxides and sulfides have many properties useful for industrial applications. By decreasing the particle size, these properties can be combined with the unique attributes of nanoscale objects, such as high surface area, low light scattering power, and quantum confinement effects, to realize a wide range of new applications. The methods to synthesize nanoparticles of rare earth compounds have been developed rapidly since mid-1980s. As a result, some rare earth oxides are now produced in a commercial scale, enabling practical applications of rare earth oxide nanoparticles in electronic and automotive industries. Applications of rare earth oxide and sulfide nanoparticles in other industries including biomedicals, renewable energy, environmental protection, pharmaceuticals, personal care, surface coatings, and plastics are also expected in the future.