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Uniform, luminescent Eu:LuF3 nanoparticles

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Abstract

A simple procedure for the synthesis of orthorhombic, uniform, LuF3 particles with two different morphologies (rhombus- and cocoon-like) and nanometer and sub-micrometer size, respectively, is reported. The method consists in the aging, at 120 °C for 2 h, a solution containing [BMIM]BF4 ionic liquid (0.5 mL) and lutetium acetate (in the case of the rhombi) or lutetium nitrate (in the case of the cocoons) (0.02 M) in ethylene glycol (total volume 10 mL). This synthesis method was also adequate for the synthesis of Eu3+-doped LuF3 particles of both morphologies, whose luminescence properties were investigated in detail. The experimental observations reported herein suggest that these materials are suitable phosphors for optoelectronic as well as in vitro biotechnological applications.

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Acknowledgments

Supported by MEC (Project. MAT2012-34919), Junta de Andalucía (JA FQM 06090) and CSIC (201460E005).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Sevilla (CSIC-University of Seville), c/Américo Vespucio, 49, 41092, Seville, Spain

    Ana I. Becerro, Daniel Gonzalez-Mancebo & Manuel Ocaña

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  1. Ana I. Becerro
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  2. Daniel Gonzalez-Mancebo
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  3. Manuel Ocaña
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Correspondence to Ana I. Becerro.

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Becerro, A.I., Gonzalez-Mancebo, D. & Ocaña, M. Uniform, luminescent Eu:LuF3 nanoparticles. J Nanopart Res 17, 58 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-015-2874-z

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