Controlled synthesis of LaPO(4) and CePO(4) nanorods/nanowires

Preparation and Characterization of Red, Green, Blue (RGB) and White Luminescent Inorganic/Organic Polymers Through In Situ Polymerization

YVO4:Eu3+/PMMA, LaPO4:Ce3+,Tb3+/PMMA and CaWO4/PMMA nanocomposites were prepared by in situ polymerization method with hydrophobic YVO4:Eu3+, LaPO4:Ce3+,Tb3+ and CaWO4 nanoparticles as the filler and poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as the host material. All the nanoparticles and composites have been well characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), photoluminescence excitation, and emission spectra and luminescence decays. YVO4:Eu3+/PMMA, LaPO4:Ce3+,Tb3+/PMMA, CaWO4/PMMA nanocomposites exhibit strong red, green and blue photoluminescence upon 254 nm UV excitation, respectively. The yellow and white LED nanocomposites with CIE coordinates of (0.411, 0.498) and (0.334, 0.359) were obtained by triply integrating the red, green and blue nanoparticles into PMMA. Thanks to the abundant luminescent colors from RGB to yellow and white in these polymer composites under UV excitation, they can be potentially used in various optoelectronic fields.

Synthesis and properties of anhydrous rare-earth phosphates, monazite and xenotime: a review

The synthesis methods, crystal structures, and properties of anhydrous monazite and xenotime (REPO4) crystalline materials are summarized within this review. For both monazite and xenotime, currently available Inorganic Crystal Structure Database data were used to study the effects of incorporating different RE cations on the unit cell parameters, cell volumes, densities, and bond lengths. Domains of monazite-type and xenotime-type structures and other AXO4 compounds (A = RE; X = P, As, V) are discussed with respect to cation sizes. Reported chemical and radiation durabilities are summarized. Different synthesis conditions and chemicals used for single crystals and polycrystalline powders, as well as first-principles calculations of the structures and thermophysical properties of these minerals are also provided.

A review of the application of cerium and lanthanum in phosphorus removal during wastewater treatment: Characteristics, mechanism, and recovery

Owing to their strong bond with anions, rare earth elements (REEs) are prime contenders in wastewater treatment to meet the stringent phosphorus (P) effluent quality requirements. REEs outcompete traditional metals to abate phosphorus. The application of lanthanides in wastewater treatment is mainly through adsorption, where REEs are incorporated into a carrier matrix to improve the adsorption capacity. As coagulants, information on the performance of lanthanides is lacking. In this review, the performance of major water coagulants (iron and aluminum) is discussed and compared to two lanthanides: cerium and lanthanum. The use of lanthanides as adsorbents and as coagulants is elucidated during P treatment. The recovery of P and REEs is also discussed. Where details were lacking in the literature, experiments were conducted to fill these research gaps. Using REEs as adsorbents limits their P precipitation potential; as coagulants, REE capacity is 520.79 mg P/g La³⁺ and 469.96 mg P/g Ce³⁺. In addition, as coagulants, they are not affected by pH (3.0 < pH < 10.0); however, carbonates and sulfate are the major species that can reduce the performance of REEs during P treatment. REE-P precipitation is orchestrated through the formation of an REE-PO₄ bond. Unfortunately, this strong bond between lanthanides and phosphate makes phosphate recovery almost impractical. If the goal is to recover REEs and reuse P in other applications like fertilizers, REEs are not the best candidates. We recommend additional research dedicated to understanding lanthanide coagulants in typical wastewater treatment facilities and their release from phosphate precipitates under different environmental conditions.

Transcription of Nanofibrous Cerium Phosphate Using a pH-Sensitive Lipodipeptide Hydrogel Template

A novel and simple transcription strategy has been designed for the template-synthesis of CePO₄·xH₂O nanofibers having an improved nanofibrous morphology using a pH-sensitive nanofibrous hydrogel (glycine-alanine lipodipeptide) as structure-directing scaffold. The phosphorylated hydrogel was employed as a template to direct the mineralization of high aspect ratio nanofibrous cerium phosphate, which in-situ formed by diffusion of aqueous CeCl₃ and subsequent drying (60 °C) and annealing treatments (250, 600 and 900 °C). Dried xerogels and annealed CePO₄ powders were characterized by conventional thermal and thermogravimetric analysis (DTA/TG), and Wide-Angle X-ray powder diffraction (WAXD) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) techniques. A molecular packing model for the formation of the fibrous xerogel template was proposed, in accordance with results from Fourier-Transformed Infrarred (FTIR) and WAXD measurements. The morphology, crystalline structure and composition of CePO₄ nanofibers were characterized by electron microscopy techniques (Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy/High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM/HRTEM), and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy working in High Angle Annular Dark-Field (STEM-HAADF)) with associated X-ray energy-dispersive detector (EDS) and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy-Electron Energy Loss (STEM-EELS) spectroscopies. Noteworthy, this templating approach successfully led to the formation of CePO₄·H₂O nanofibrous bundles of rather co-aligned and elongated nanofibers (10⁻20 nm thick and up to ca. 1 μm long). The formed nanofibers consisted of hexagonal (P6₂22) CePO₄ nanocrystals (at 60 and 250 °C), with a better-grown and more homogeneous fibrous morphology with respect to a reference CePO₄ prepared under similar (non-templated) conditions, and transformed into nanofibrous monoclinic monazite (P21/n) around 600 °C. The nanofibrous morphology was highly preserved after annealing at 900 °C under N₂, although collapsed under air conditions. The nanofibrous CePO₄ (as-prepared hexagonal and 900 °C-annealed monoclinic) exhibited an enhanced UV photo-luminescent emission with respect to non-fibrous homologues.

Photocatalytic activity enhancement of LaPO4via surface oxygen vacancies

The photocatalytic activity reached a maximum 350 °C with vacuum heat treatment and was almost 1.6 times higher than that of untreated LaPO₄. The v-LaPO₄ photocatalyst has good stability.

Morphology and dopant-dependent optical characteristics of novel composite 1D and 3D-based heterostructures of CdSe nanocrystals and LaPO4:Re (Re = Eu, Ce, Tb) metal phosphate nanowires

Observation of morphology and dopant dependent optical behavior in novel quantum dot-metal oxide-based heterostructures.

Biocompatible hydroxyapatite nanoparticles as a redox luminescence switch

A redox luminescence switch was prepared by doping hydroxyapatite nanoparticles with CePO(4):Tb. The resulting multifunctional material exhibits good biocompatibility, biological affinity, and potential drug-carrying capability. The luminescent hydroxyapatite nanoparticles may find important applications in biomedical diagnostics, drug delivery, and biological sensors.

Nucleation sequence on the cation exchange process between Y0.95Eu0.05PO4 and CePO4 nanorods

Nanorods of Y0.95Eu0.05PO4@CePO4 (Y0.95Eu0.05PO4 phase was nucleated first and then a CePO4 phase was nucleated) and CePO4@Y0.95Eu0.05PO4 (CePO4 phase was nucleated first and then Y0.95Eu0.05PO4 phase was nucleated) were prepared at a relatively low temperature of 140 °C in ethylene glycol medium. Based on XRD, TEM and Raman studies it has been inferred that Y0.95Eu0.05PO4@CePO4 sample consists of a mixture of bigger (length around 800-1000 nm and width around of 80-100 nm) and smaller (length around 70-100 nm and width around 10-20 nm) nanorods, having monoclinic CePO4 and tetragonal YPO4 structure, whereas CePO4@Y0.95Eu0.05PO4 sample consists of mainly small nanorods having a single phase CePO4 structure. From the detailed luminescence studies it has been established that there exists significant incorporation of Y3+/Eu3+ ions in the CePO4 phase in CePO4@Y0.95Eu0.5PO4 sample. This has been attributed to the cation exchange taking place between Ce3+ ions in CePO4 host and Eu3+ and Y3+ ions in solution during the synthesis stage. Unlike this, such an exchange is not possible for Y0.95Eu0.05PO4@CePO4 sample synthesized under identical conditions due to the higher solubility product (Ksp) value of YPO4 compared to CePO4. Incorporation of Eu3+ in the CePO4 lattice of CePO4@Y0.95Eu0.5PO4 sample is confirmed by the significant reduction in the lifetime of 5D0 level of Eu3+ and the luminescence intensity from Eu3+, arising due to the electron transfer between the Ce3+/Ce4+ and Eu3+/Eu2+ species. These results are further supported by the non-radiative decay rates and quantum yields calculated from the emission spectrum.

Hydrothermal Synthesis, Microstructure and Photoluminescence of Eu-Doped Mixed Rare Earth Nano-Orthophosphates

Eu(3+)-doped mixed rare earth orthophosphates (rare earth = La, Y, Gd) have been prepared by hydrothermal technology, whose crystal phase and microstructure both vary with the molar ratio of the mixed rare earth ions. For La(x)Y(1-x)PO(4): Eu(3+), the ion radius distinction between the La(3+) and Y(3+) is so large that only La(0.9)Y(0.1)PO(4): Eu(3+) shows the pure monoclinic phase. For La(x)Gd(1-x)PO(4): Eu(3+) system, with the increase in the La content, the crystal phase structure of the product changes from the hexagonal phase to the monoclinic phase and the microstructure of them changes from the nanorods to nanowires. Similarly, Y(x)Gd(1-x)PO(4): Eu(3+), Y(0.1)Gd(0.9)PO(4): Eu(3+) and Y(0.5)Gd(0.5)PO(4): Eu(3+) samples present the pure hexagonal phase and nanorods microstructure, while Y(0.9)Gd(0.1)PO(4): Eu(3+) exhibits the tetragonal phase and nanocubic micromorphology. The photoluminescence behaviors of Eu(3+) in these hosts are strongly related to the nature of the host (composition, crystal phase and microstructure).

Synthesis and luminescence of CePO4:Tb/LaPO4 core/sheath nanowires

CePO(4):Tb/LaPO(4) nanowires with a core/sheath architecture have been successful synthesized by a facile aqueous chemical method mediated by original CePO(4):Tb aggregation seeds. The seed crystals serve as both a luminescence center and a nucleation site for epitaxial growth. The seed nanocrystals have an irregular sphere-like shape with an average size of around 6.8 nm and a narrow size distribution. When the seed crystals are coated with LaPO(4), the resulting core/sheath CePO(4):Tb/LaPO(4) nanowires have mean diameters of about 7.6 nm and lengths up to 331 nm. Both photo- and x-ray luminescence demonstrate that the LaPO(4) coating increases the luminescence efficiency. These core/sheath structured nanowires may find potential applications in solid state lighting, medical imaging and radiation detection.

Ambient large-scale template-mediated synthesis of high-aspect ratio single-crystalline, chemically doped rare-earth phosphate nanowires for bioimaging

A simple and effective template-mediated protocol has been developed for the large-scale, room-temperature preparation of high-aspect-ratio, single-crystalline Tb-doped CePO(4) nanowires, measuring approximately 12 nm in diameter and over 10 mum in length. Moreover, we also isolated sheaf-like bundles of nanostructures. The synthesis mechanism likely involved a crystal splitting step. The resulting nanowires demonstrated an intense redox-sensitive green photoluminescence, which was exploited, in addition to their inherently high biocompatibility and low toxicity, for potential applications in biological imaging and labeling of cells.

Facile preparation method for rare earth phosphate hollow spheres and their photoluminescence properties

We have developed a template-free hydrothermal method of constructing rare earth phosphate hollow spheres using H(6)P(4)O(13) as the PO(4) (3-) source. The mechanism of hollow spheres formation was proposed on the basis of Ostwald ripening. The resulting hollow spheres, especially with the aid of doping of other lanthanide cations, exhibit emission spanning the whole UV-visible wavelength range.

Synthesis and characterization of cerium phosphate nanowires in microemulsion reaction media

Synthesis of CePO4 in water-in-oil microemulsions produces crystalline nanowires with uniform thickness (mean width = 3.7 nm) and straight or branched morphologies. The nanowires develop within a period of 1 month by surfactant-mediated slow crystallization from amorphous primary filaments with highly convoluted morphology. Electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering studies suggest that CePO4 crystallization occurs within the confined reaction spaces of preformed Ce(III)-containing rod-shaped micelles, rather than by mesophase aggregation and transformation of primary surfactant-coated nanoparticles.