LnPO4:Eu3+ nanoparticles: Role of host lattices on physiochemical and luminescent properties

Abstract

LnPO4:Eu3+ (Ln = La, Gd and Y) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared at low temperatures via a urea-based thermal decomposition method. X-ray diffraction pattern revealed a hexagonal single phase, high purity with an average crystalline size of 13.9, 14.89, and 18.7 nm for LaPO4:Eu, GdPO4:Eu, and YPO4:Eu NPs, respectively. Bandgap energies were calculated based on the measure absorption spectra are to be values 5.14, 5.03, and 4.90 eV for the LaPO4:Eu, GdPO4:Eu, and YPO4:Eu NPs, respectively. A comparative study suggested that the excitation and emission transitions were significantly higher in the GdPO4:Eu NPs and in comparison to the LaPO4:Eu and YPO4:Eu NPs. It implies the impact of the crystallinity, host lattice, and crystal symmetry, in which doped Eu3+-ion replaces the host cation and distorts the crystal symmetry.