1 research outputs found
Microwave-Assisted Synthesis and Luminescence of Mesoporous RE-Doped YPO<sub>4</sub> (RE = Eu, Ce, Tb, and Ce + Tb) Nanophosphors with Lenticular Shape
Mesoporous tetragonal RE:YPO<sub>4</sub> nanophosphors
(RE = Eu,
Ce, Tb, and Ce + Tb) with a lenticular morphology, narrow size distribution,
and high surface area have been prepared by an homogeneous precipitation
procedure consisting of aging, at low temperature (80–120 °C)
in a microwave oven, ethylene glycol solutions containing only yttrium
acetylacetonate and phosphoric acid. This synthesis method involves
important advantages such as its simplicity, rapidness (reaction time
= 7 min), and high reaction yields. The mechanism of nanoparticle
growth has been also addressed finding that the lenticular nanoparticles
are formed through an ordered aggregation of smaller entities, which
explains their porosity. In all cases, the doping levels were systematically
varied in order to optimize the nanophosphors luminescence. All optimum
nanophosphors presented a high luminescence quantum yield (QY). In
particular, for the Eu and Tb doped systems, the obtained QY values
(60% for Eu and 80% for Tb) were the highest so far reported for this
kind of nanomaterial. The morphological, microstructural, and luminescent
properties of these nanophosphors and their dispersibility in water
make them suitable for biomedical applications