Luminescence and magnetic behaviour of almond like (Na0.5La0.5)MoO4:RE3+ (RE = Eu, Tb, Dy) nanostructures

Abstract

Tetragonal phase (Na0.5La0.5)MoO4:RE3+ (RE=Eu, Tb, Dy) with almond like hierarchical structures assembled from nanosheets building blocks were successfully synthesized by employing disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (Na2EDTA) using hydrothermal route at 200°C for 24h. Field emission scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and X-ray diffraction patterns were used to characterize the morphology, size, and crystal structure with good resolution. The sequestering agent EDTA acts as quadridentate ligand coordinated with metal ions [Na+, La3+/RE3+] facilitating the formation of self-organized 3D networks. The growth mechanism for the formation of almond like nanostructures is explicated in four paths: dissolution, adsorption, in situ transformation in acidic and basic media and the effective collision. Photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra reveals a spectral blue shift which was observed in the nanosamples towards shorter wavelengths compared with the bulk sample. Upon UV irradiation, both bulk and nanostructure show strong luminescence in the red region due to the 5D0→7F2 transition in Eu3+. Also, Tb3+ and Dy3+ doped (Na0.5La0.5)MoO4 phosphor exhibit green and yellow luminescence due to the transitions 5D4→7F5 and 4F9/2→6H13/2, respectively. Color richness and fluorescence decay times for major emission lines in Eu3+, Tb3+, and Dy3+, that were determined to be x=0.593, y=0.326, τ=0.417ms; x=0.228, y=0.619, τ=0.411ms; x=0.3851, y=0.4334, τ=0.403ms, respectively. The as-synthesized nanophosphor exhibits weak ferromagnetic hysteresis with significant remnant magnetization (1.84E−4emu/gm) at room temperature in comparison with bulk sample. The above results suggesting these materials can serve as excellent luminescence markers which being controlled by external magnetic field.