Synthesis and characterisation of erbium doped gadolinium oxide (Er:Gd2O3) nanorods

Abstract

The aim of the present investigation is to synthesis the rare earth oxide sample in single phase with nanocrystalline nature which is used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other bio medical applications. Hence the present research is focussed on the synthesising of nanomaterials using co-precipitation method and few characterization techniques are adapted to characterize the synthesised samples. Erbium-doped gadolinium oxide (Er:Gd2O3) nanorods were successfully synthesized by co-precipitation method. Rare earth erbium (Er) dopant was maintained in the ratio of 5 % to avoid concentration quenching (Gd1.95Er0.05O3). The synthesized samples were then annealed to 1000 °C, in which the hexagonal phase of gadolinium hydroxides transform to cubic phase Er:Gd2O3 nanorods. Powder X-ray (XRD) diffraction analysis was used to confirm the obtained single phase. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum of the synthesized sample indicates the existence of all functional groups, and the fingerprint regions of gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) and Erbium oxide (Er2O3) planar vibrations. Morphological behaviour of the synthesized Er:Gd2O3 nanorods was subjected to scanning electron microscope (SEM) fitted with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis to view the shape and size of the synthesized nanorods and to estimate the elemental composition of the synthesized samples. The results were discussed in a detailed manner.