Crystal structure, NIR luminescence and X-ray computed tomography of Nd 3+ :Ba 0.3 Lu 0.7 F 2.7 nanospheres

• Published in: Dalton transactions : an international journal of inorganic chemistry Vol. 46; no. 20; pp. 6580 - 6587
• Main Authors: González-Mancebo, Daniel, Becerro, Ana Isabel, Cantelar, Eugenio, Cussó, Fernando, Briat, Arnaud, Boyer, Damien, Ocaña, Manuel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Royal Society of Chemistry 2017
• Subjects: Chemical Sciences; Cristallography; Inorganic chemistry; Material chemistry
• ISSN: 1477-9226; 1477-9234
• DOI: 10.1039/C7DT00453B

Uniform, hydrophilic 50 nm diameter Nd -doped Ba Lu F nanospheres are synthesized at 120 °C using a singular one-pot method based on the use of ethylene glycol as solvent, in the absence of any additive. The composition and crystal structure of the undoped material are analyzed in detail using ICP and XRD, which reveals a BaF cubic crystal structure that is able to incorporate 70 mol% of Lu ions. This finding contrasts with the reported phase diagram of the system, where the maximum solubility is around 30 mol% Lu. XRD proves as well that the Ba Lu F structure is able to incorporate Nd ions up to, at least 10 mol%, without altering the uniform particles morphology. The Nd-doped particles exhibit near-infrared luminescence when excited at 810 nm. The maximum emission intensity with the minimum concentration quenching effect is obtained at 1.5% Nd doping level. X-ray computed tomography experiments are carried out on powder samples of the latter composition. The sample significantly absorbs X-ray photons, thus demonstrating that the Nd -doped Ba Lu F nanospheres are good candidates as contrast agents in computed tomography.