Controllable synthesis and photoluminescence of LaPO4:Eu3+ nanomaterials

Hexagonal LaPO4·nH2O:Eu3+ nano-wires and dual-phase LaPO4:Eu3+ nano-wires with hexagonal and monoclinic structures were synthesized by hydrothermal reaction at 150 and 220 °C, respectively. The effects of high temperature treatment on the structure, morphology and photoluminescence of the specimens were also investigated with X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and fluorescence spectrophotometer (FL). The results indicated the phase transformation for LaPO4:Eu3+ from the hexagonal structure to the monoclinic structure occurred, after the specimens were calcined at 900 °C for 12 h in the air. The wire-like structures of LaPO4:Eu3+ were destroyed and transformed into particle-like structures at high temperature. The mechanism of transformation from nano-wires to particles was introduced briefly. The photoluminescence properties of as-prepared and annealed specimens were also discussed in detail.