Abstract
Uniform nanorods of rare earth phosphate (REPO4, RE = La–Gd) nanocrystals were prepared in a properly designed ionic liquid extraction system by a stripping precipitation method. Rare earth ions were extracted into the organic phase at first; after that, the loaded organic phase was stripped by aqueous solution of PO43− under stirring at room temperature within 5 min. The extractant used here is a bifunctional ionic liquid extractant called [A336][cyanex272]. The products are hexagonal phase in crystal structure, and their morphology is nanorods. The diameter of the products is from 30 to 50 nm, and the length increases from 200 nm to 2 μm gradually. Besides, the ionic liquid-absorbed CePO4:Tb3+ nanorods show improved luminescent emitting intensity and lifetime. Based on the results, a possible growth mechanism of the REPO4 (RE = La–Gd) nanorods is proposed, where the extractants here also play roles of structure-directing agents and surfactants during the formation process of nanocrystals.
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