Preparation and luminescence properties of Lu 2O 3:Eu 3+ nanofibers by sol–gel/electrospinning process

Abstract

One-dimensional Lu 2O 3:Eu 3+ nanofibers have been prepared by a combination method of sol–gel process and electrospinning technology. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), photoluminescence (PL), and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra were used to characterize the samples. The XRD, FT-IR and TG–DTA results show that Lu 2O 3:Eu 3+ samples crystallize at 900 °C. SEM images indicate that as prepared precursor samples and those annealed at 900 °C present uniform fiberlike morphology. After being heated at 900 °C, the diameters of fibers decrease greatly, ranging from 90 to 180 nm. TEM image further manifests that the as-formed Lu 2O 3:Eu 3+ nanofibers consist of nanoparticles (the crystallite size is about 16.5 nm). Under the short wavelength ultraviolet irradiation and the low-voltage electron beam excitation, Lu 2O 3:Eu 3+ nanofibers all exhibit typical red ( 5D 0– 7F J) emission. The optimum doping concentration of Eu 3+ in the Lu 2O 3 nanofibers also has been investigated.