A critical review focussing on the synthesis and applications of monoclinic yttrium oxide nanophosphor

Research on monoclinic Y₂O₃ has been limited, not because of a lack of potential applications, but rather due to challenges associated with synthesizing phase-pure material. The limited understanding of the material and its properties has hindered researchers from further exploring this compound. Some studies suggest that the B-type polymorph of Y₂O₃ exhibits superior performance compared to its cubic counterpart. Additionally, there are reports indicating the existence of simple synthesis techniques that could potentially overcome the material's significant disadvantage highlighted by many researchers, namely, complex synthesis routes. To date, no comprehensive reports have summarized the key findings related to B-type Y₂O₃. In this effort, we aim to provide an exhaustive overview of research conducted on this polymorph. This includes an examination of diverse synthesis techniques employed by researchers, theoretical studies conducted on the material, an exploration of its luminescence properties, and an overview of various applications studied thus far.