Mechanochemical Synthesis of Yttrium Oxide and Hydrogen Peroxide via Planetary Ball Milling With Nickel Catalyst: Structural, Morphological, and Particle Size Analysis

This study investigates the mechanochemical synthesis of Yttrium Oxide (Y₂O₃) and Hydrogen Peroxide (H₂O₂) via planetary ball milling, with a focus on the catalytic effect of nickel. Yttrium Hydride (YH₃) was milled under a hydrogen atmosphere, both with and without a nickel catalyst, to assess the influence of various process parameters such as milling time, hydrogen pressure, and catalyst presence on the phase transformation, crystallite size, particle morphology, and particle size distribution. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and laser diffraction particle size analysis (PSA) were used to characterize the samples. Results show that nickel catalysis significantly enhances reaction kinetics, reduces crystallite size, and promotes uniform particle morphology compared to non-catalyzed samples. Catalyzed samples exhibited faster phase transformation from YH₃ to Y₂O₃, with a crystallite size reduction to 11.0 nm and near-complete formation of Y₂O₃ and H₂O₂. These findings demonstrate that nickel-catalyzed planetary ball milling offers an efficient and scalable route for Y₂O₃ synthesis, with potential applications in catalysis, energy storage, and environmental remediation. Further research on optimizing milling conditions and exploring other catalysts is recommended.