A facile synthesis of CaF2:Eu2+ nanoparticles using citrate-stabilized Au catalysts

• Published in: Acta materialia Vol. 122; pp. 420 - 430
• Main Authors: Ye, Weihao, Huang, Qiying, Liu, Xiaotang, Hu, Guangqi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2017
• Subjects: Calcium fluoride; Catalysis; Catalysts; Emission; Europium; Gold; Gold nanoparticles; Hydrothermal synthesis; Nanoparticles; Photoluminescence; Scanning electron microscopy; Synthesis (chemistry); Transmission electron microscopy; Hydrothermal synthesis; Catalysis; Europium; Gold nanoparticles; Photoluminescence; Calcium fluoride
• ISSN: 1359-6454; 1873-2453
• DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2016.10.013

Europium doped calcium fluoride (CaF2:Eu2+) nanoparticles have been synthesized by hydrothermal method in which NaBH4 is added as reductant and citrate-stabilized gold (Cit-Au) nanoparticles are used as catalyst. The microstructure of CaF2:Eu2+ is investigated by X-ray power diffraction (XRD), energy dispersion spectrum (EDS), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have shown that the CaF2:Eu2+ nanoparticles are about 60 nm. Lattice fringes observed in high-resolution TEM further displayed high crystallinity of the CaF2:Eu2+ nanoparticles and Cit-Au NPs. An intensive and broad emission peaked at 425 nm due to 4f7 – 4f65d1 transition of Eu2+ ions is observed. The 4f7(8S7/2) → 4f65d1(t2g)optical transitions exhibit a characteristic “staircase’’ spectrum from 330 nm to 380 nm. The effect of gold concentrations on emission of CaF2:Eu2+ has also been investigated. [Display omitted]