Synthesis, characterization and photoluminescence of lanthanum hydroxide nanorods by asimple route at room temperature

Abstract

A new and simple method to directly synthesize stable and crystalline pure phaseLa(OH)3 nanorods was developed using cationic surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide,CTAB). The advantages of the method are facile synthesis, at room temperature, and lowcost. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, scanningelectron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM(HRTEM) and Raman spectroscopy were used to examine the morphology andmicrostructure to find out the cause. The results revealed that all of the products wereone-dimensional rod-like nanostructures with diameters of approximately 15 nm andlengths of 120–200 nm. The four observed Raman peaks at 281, 336, 450, and610 cm−1 indicated the typical hexagonal phase, which was in agreement with the x-ray diffractionresults. Room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) properties were investigated under theexcitation of 275 nm. The samples exhibited the emission peaks of room-temperaturephotoluminescence.