Selective Synthesis and Luminescence Properties of Nanocrystalline GdF3 : Eu3+ with Hexagonal and Orthorhombic Structures

Abstract EN

GdF3:Eu3+ nanophosphors with hexagonal or orthorhombic structure have been succeeded to be selectively synthesized at room temperature for the first time via a simple soft chemical route.

The structure and morphology of GdF3:Eu3+ nanophosphors were controlled by using different fluoride precursors.

Hexagonal GdF3:Eu3+ nanocrystals were formed when NaBF4 was used as a fluoride precursor, while orthorhombic GdF3:Eu3+ nanocrystals were obtained with NaF or NH4F fluoride precursor.

It was also experimentally revealed that hexagonal GdF3:Eu3+ nanophosphors emitted essentially stronger Eu3+ luminescence than orthorhombic ones did.

The formation mechanism of GdF3 nanocrystals and the possible reasons of the strong PL in hexagonal were discussed.