Structural, Morphological and Optical Characterization of Eu 3+ and Nd 3+ Co- Doped Tio2 Nano Particles by Sol Gel Method

Abstract

Semiconductor nano crystals have been widely studied for their fundamental properties. The Eu 3+ and Nd 3+ doped titanium dioxide nano powder was successfully synthesized by sol-gel method. The morphological and structural properties of as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM). The Powder X-ray diffraction is carried out in order to examine the phase formation and substitution of Eu 3+ and Nd 3+ doped in TiO2 matrix. The UV-Vis spectral analysis was carried out between 200 nm and 1200 nm. The band gap of the Eu 3+ and Nd 3+ doped Tio2 nanoparticles was calculated. The functional groups of the synthesized compound have been identified by FTIR spectral analysis. The strong PL intensity confirms a blue shift. Introduction. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanomaterials are used in a wide range of applications such as photo catalysis, sensor devices, paints and dye-sensitized solar cells. The material properties of TiO2 nanoparticles depend upon the parameters like crystal structure, nanoparticle size and morphology. However, these parameters are depending on the method of synthesize [1]. Titanium dioxide exists in three main crystallographic forms of anatase, rutile and brookite [2]. Among the various polymorphs listed above, anatase type has been selectively used for photocatalytic applications and various other applications [3]. Sol–gel method was often employed to prepare TiO2 because of its simplicity and low equipment requirement. The conventional sol–gel process usually involved uncontrollable fast hydrolysis and condensation and therefore could result in formation of amorphous TiO2 [4]. Sometimes, the high temperature would seriously affect the particle size and surface area and even could result in a collapse of the mesoporous structure. Therefore, it is necessary to synthesize nanocrystalline anatase under mixed conditions. Many researchers have tried to prepare nanostructure anatase TiO2 in well crystalline form.Some researchers have reported that they could improve the absorption and photocatalytic activity via dye sensitizing, surface deposition with metal or doping with metal, nonmetal, or their oxides. Many nonmetal ions have been successfully doped the intensity of photoluminescence (PL) of TiO2 doped with Sm 3+ ions was reported to show specific dependence on the oxygen content in the surrounding atmosphere and similar effects have been seen in case of Eu 3+ doped titania and also in the intrinsic emission of porous TiO2[5-7]. This motivates further work to elaborate photoluminescent gas sensing materials based on lanthanide doped TiO2. It is very necessary for researchers to explore the theory and the experimental results on such field. In the present work, we have synthesized anatase phase of Nd 3+ and Eu 3+ co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles by sol–gel method and they were analyzed for structural and optical properties.