Co-precipitation Synthesis, Structural and Luminescent Behavior of Erbium Doped Gadolinium Oxide (Er3+:Gd2O3) Nanorods

Abstract

Well–defined and nearly monodisperse one–dimensional (1D) Er3+:Gd2O3 were successfully synthesized through co– precipitation technique followed by a subsequent heat treatment process, without using any kind of organic capping regent, fuel, surfactant, membrane, template or catalyst. Ammonium hydroxide alkali solution was used to precipitate the resultant product by adjusting the pH to be 7. The dopant percentage was optimized at 5% to avoid concentration quenching. The cubic phase Er3+:Gd2O3 nanorods was obtained by a calcinating the as–formed hexagonal phase hydroxides at 750̊C for 1h. In addition, pure gadolinium oxide nanoparticles were produced by following the above mentioned experimental procedures. The as–formed hydroxide and calcinated Er doped gadolinium oxide nano–phosphors were then systematically examined by using powder X–ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X–ray (SEM/EDX), high–resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectrometry. The results were discussed in detail.