Room temperature synthesis of lanthanum phosphates with controlled nanotexture as host for Ln(III) through the Epoxide Route

Abstract

Herein, the Epoxide Route, a one-pot room temperature alkalinization method based on the reaction between a nucleophile and an epoxide, has been employed to synthesize LaPO4 in the form of a Rhabdophane phase. The intrinsic features of this synthetic approach allow the reaction to be followed by pH monitoring, making possible the identification of the different precipitation steps involved in the formation of the solid. Once demonstrated the effectiveness of this chemical methodology, the size and shape of the LaPO4 particles were controlled by varying the identity and proportion of the organic co-solvents employed to perform the reaction. By these means, crystalline particles with dumbbell, urchin and needle shapes were obtained, with sizes that ranged from less than 200 nm to more than 5 μm. Finally, luminescent materials in the form of a LnPO4Rhabdophane structure were easily obtained by the incorporation of EuIII along the whole composition range. Additionally, photophysical characterization of selected samples was performed, with a promising outcome. The results presented in this work pave the way to obtaining a wide variety of luminescent materials with sizes and morphologies adjustable on demand, by using a simple and reliable synthetic approach.