Solvent-Controlled Synthesis and Luminescence Properties of Uniform Eu:YVO4 Nanophosphors with Different Morphologies

A facile solvothermal route has been developed for the preparation of tetragonal europium‐doped yttrium orthovanadate nanoparticles (Eu:YVO4) and is based on a homogeneous precipitation reaction at 120 °C from solutions of rare earth precursors (yttrium acetylacetonate and europium nitrate) and sodi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of inorganic chemistry 2013-03, Vol.2013 (8), p.1301-1309
Main Authors: Nuñez, Nuria, Sabek, Jad, García-Sevillano, Jorge, Cantelar, Eugenio, Escudero, Alberto, Ocaña, Manuel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Doping
Luminescence
Nanoparticles
Rare earths
Solvent effects
Vanadium
Yttrium
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:A facile solvothermal route has been developed for the preparation of tetragonal europium‐doped yttrium orthovanadate nanoparticles (Eu:YVO4) and is based on a homogeneous precipitation reaction at 120 °C from solutions of rare earth precursors (yttrium acetylacetonate and europium nitrate) and sodium orthovanadate in ethylene glycol or ethylene glycol/water mixtures. The nature of the solvent has a dramatic effect on the morphology and crystallinity of the resulting nanoparticles. Polycrystalline nanoellipsoids (130 × 60 nm) were obtained in pure ethylene glycol, whereas quasispherical nanoparticles (100 nm) with monocrystalline character precipitated in ethylene glycol/water (7:3 by volume) mixtures. To explain these different morphological and structural features, the mechanism of particles formation was investigated. The effects of the doping level on the luminescence properties (emission spectra and luminescence lifetime) were also evaluated to find the optimum nanophosphors. Finally, it is shown that the luminescent efficiency of the quasispherical nanoparticles was higher than that of the nanoellipsoids; this can be related to differences in crystallinity and in impurity content. The morphology of tetragonal europium‐doped YVO4 nanoparticles synthesized by precipitation from solutions containing sodium orthovanadate, yttrium acetylacetonate, and europium nitrate at 120 °C can be tuned from ellipsoidal to quasispherical (ca. 100 nm) by suitable selection of the solvent (ethylene glycol or ethylene glycol/water).
ISSN:1434-1948
1099-0682
DOI:10.1002/ejic.201201016