Tartrate promoted hydrothermal growth of highly [001] oriented (La0.95−xBixEu0.05)PO4 (x=0–0.01) nanowires with enhanced photoluminescence

Publication date: 15 July 2017
Source:Materials & Design, Volume 126
Author(s): Zhihao Wang, Ji-Guang Li, Qi Zhu, Byung-Nam Kim, Xudong Sun
Monoclinic (La0.95−xBixEu0.05)PO4 nanowires with lengths of ~1.5μm and diameters of ~20–50nm (aspect ratio up to the high value ~75) have been synthesized via hydrothermal crystallization in the presence of sodium tartrate (Tar²⁻). Detailed characterizations of the materials were achieved by the combined techniques of XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, FT-IR, and optical spectroscopies, and the formation mechanism of the nanowires was expatiated. It was found that Tar²⁻ as a shape modifier can cap the growth of {012} facets and thus led to nanowires of high [001] orientation. The effects of experimental parameters such as Tar²⁻/M³⁺ (M=total cation) and PO4³⁻/M³⁺ molar ratios, hydrothermal temperature and reaction time on phase and morphology evolution of the nanowires were unveiled. The effects of shape anisotropy, calcination and Bi³⁺ doping on the photoluminescence properties of the (La0.95−xBixEu0.05)PO4 nanowire phosphors were also investigated in detail, including excitation, emission, fluorescence lifetime, and CIE chromaticity coordinates. The optimal Bi³⁺ content was determined to be ~0.7at%.

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