Synthesis and luminescence properties of NaGdF4: Yb3+, Ce3+, and Ho3+ upconversion nanoparticles doped with Zn2+. Issue 19 (5th April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kuang, Ye; Xu, Jiating; Wang, Chen; Wang, Chuanqing; Shao, Hua; Yang, Dan; Gai, Shili; He, Fei; Yang, Piaoping
• Is Part Of: CrystEngComm. Volume 20:Issue 19(2018)
• Page Start: 2663
• Page End: 2668
• Publication Date: 2018-04-05
• Subjects: Crystals -- Periodicals; Crystal growth -- Periodicals; Crystallography -- Periodicals; Cristaux -- Périodiques; Cristaux -- Croissance -- Périodiques; Cristallographie -- Périodiques; 548
• DOI: 10.1039/c8ce00079d
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1466-8033

Abstract

Abstract : Due to shrinkage of crystal lattice and formation of F − vacancies, the luminescence intensities show a rise-and-fall change with growing Zn 2+ concentration in β-NaGdF4 UCNPs. Abstract : Improving luminescence intensities of rare-earth (RE)-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have aroused great attention recently. In this study, NaGdF4 : Yb 3+, Ce 3+, and Ho 3+ UCNPs doped with varying concentrations of Zn 2+ were synthesized in one step by high temperature pyrolysis using oleate chemicals. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry), upconversion emission spectra and luminescence lifetimes were used to study the samples. It was found that as the concentration of Zn 2+ increased from 0 to 15 mol%, the luminescence intensities of both red and green emissions first increased and then decreased, with the maximum value of Zn 2+ doping at 10 mol%. We concluded that Zn 2+ dopant and F − vacancies accounted for the intensity changes. Our research can be beneficial for the structural design and applications of RE-doped UCNPs.