Abstract
Co-precipitation reaction followed by hydrothermal treatment were used to synthesise Eu3+ or Tb3+ doped LaPO4 nanorods, of 5–10 nm in width and 50–100 nm in length. Surface modification of the as-prepared nanoparticles with a selected luminescent organic compound resulted in formation of hybrid inorganic–organic nanomaterials. The products obtained exhibited tunable multicolour luminescence, dependent on the surface modification and applied excitation wavelength. The colour of their emission can be altered from red-orange to yellow-green. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) confirmed the structure and morphology of the products synthesized. Successful surface modification of the nanophosphors was evidenced by analytical and spectroscopic techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS) – providing size distribution histograms and zeta potentials of the nanoparticles; IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis which proved the presence of an organic phase in the structure; spectrofluorometry (excitation/emission spectra and luminescence decay curves) which confirmed the formation of hybrid, surface modified nanomaterials revealing tunable multicolour emission.
Highlights
Luminescent nanomaterials based on lanthanide ions (Ln3+) have fascinated researchers for over the last two decades.[1,2,3,4,5] The spectroscopic properties of Ln3+ ions are unique among the other elements, which result from their electronic con guration [Xe]4fn (n 1⁄4 0–14). 4f orbitals of lanthanide ions are shielded by 5p and 6s shells, which makes the 4f–4f electronic transitions nearly insensitive to the coordination environment of Ln3+ ion, and provides narrow spectral width of emission or absorption bands as well as long-lived luminescence.[6]
Successful surface modification of the nanophosphors was evidenced by analytical and spectroscopic techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS) – providing size distribution histograms and zeta potentials of the nanoparticles; IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis which proved the presence of an organic phase in the structure; spectrofluorometry which confirmed the formation of hybrid, surface modified nanomaterials revealing tunable multicolour emission
In this study we report the preparation of hybrid inorganic– organic nanomaterials based on LaPO4 nanorods doped with Tb3+ or Eu3+ ions, having organically modi ed surface
Summary
Luminescent nanomaterials based on lanthanide ions (Ln3+) have fascinated researchers for over the last two decades.[1,2,3,4,5] The spectroscopic properties of Ln3+ ions are unique among the other elements, which result from their electronic con guration [Xe]4fn (n 1⁄4 0–14). 4f orbitals of lanthanide ions are shielded by 5p and 6s shells, which makes the 4f–4f electronic transitions nearly insensitive to the coordination environment of Ln3+ ion, and provides narrow spectral width of emission or absorption bands as well as long-lived luminescence.[6]. Luminescent nanomaterials based on lanthanide ions (Ln3+) have fascinated researchers for over the last two decades.[1,2,3,4,5] The spectroscopic properties of Ln3+ ions are unique among the other elements, which result from their electronic con guration [Xe]4fn (n 1⁄4 0–14). 4f orbitals of lanthanide ions are shielded by 5p and 6s shells, which makes the 4f–4f electronic transitions nearly insensitive to the coordination environment of Ln3+ ion, and provides narrow spectral width of emission or absorption bands as well as long-lived luminescence.[6] The parity-forbidden character of the 4f–4f transitions results in a very low molar absorption coefficients and low efficiencies of Ln3+ emission, when the direct excitation of 4f–4f absorption bands is applied. The high potential of Ln3+-doped nanomaterials is used in many different applications like lighting, phosphors production, organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs and LEDs), lasers, optical ampli ers or waveguides and such areas like medicine and biology.[4,15,16,17,18,19] Some of these applications result from the strong interest in Ln3+-doped hybrid inorganic–organic materials.[20,21,22] In general, hybrid materials have altered properties that can be tailored according to the needs, e.g. they can show increased mechanical resistance, thermal stability, luminescence efficiency etc.[23,24,25] the multifunctionality and the possibility to modulate their properties are important factors increasing development of such hybrid materials.[26,27,28,29,30,31] Such sophisticated bi- or multifunctional hybrid/composite nanomaterials can exhibit simultaneously different desired properties like luminescence and magnetism, which are crucial for
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