Controllable synthesis of Ln super(3+) (Ln = Tb, Eu) doped zinc phosphate nano-/micro-structured materials: phase, morphology and luminescence properties

Ln super(3+) (Ln = Tb, Eu) doped zinc phosphate tetrahydrate (ZPT:Ln super(3+)) and ammonium zinc phosphate (AZP:Ln super(3+)) nano-/micro-structured materials were synthesized in aqueous solution without the addition of any structure-directing agent. The phase structures, morphologies and luminesce...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nanoscale 2014-01, Vol.6 (4), p.2137-2145
Main Authors: Yue, Dan, Lu, Wei, Li, Chunyang, Zhang, Xinlei, Liu, Chunxia, Wang, Zhenling
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Luminescence
Morphology
Nanostructure
Phosphates
Scanning electron microscopy
Solid phases
Zinc phosphate
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Summary:Ln super(3+) (Ln = Tb, Eu) doped zinc phosphate tetrahydrate (ZPT:Ln super(3+)) and ammonium zinc phosphate (AZP:Ln super(3+)) nano-/micro-structured materials were synthesized in aqueous solution without the addition of any structure-directing agent. The phase structures, morphologies and luminescence properties of the as-synthesized samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and lifetime. These investigations indicate that different phosphate sources M sub(n)H sub((3-)nO sub(4) (M = NH sub(4) super(+) or Na super(+), n= 1, 2, 3) can lead to the altering of morphology from nanosheet to microflower, but have no significant effect on the phase structure of the samples. The microlump, nanosheet, and microflower (constructed by the primary microlumps or nanosheets) of orthorhombic ZPT:Ln super(3+) could be selectively prepared by adjusting the pH value from 3.5 to 7.0. A mixture of orthorhombic ZPT:Ln super(3+) and monoclinic AZP:Ln super(3+) with a microflower morphology was obtained when the pH value was adjusted to 8.0. Monoclinic AZP:Ln super(3+) microplate, microcube and nanoparticle morphologies were obtained at pH values of 8.5, 9.0 and 11.0 respectively. The phase transformation and growth mechanism of the diverse morphologies were proposed, and ZPT:Ln super(3+) (Ln super(3+) = Eu or Tb) samples exhibit red or green emission under the excitation of UV light.
ISSN:2040-3364
2040-3372
DOI:10.1039/c3nr03749e