Ionic liquid-assisted synthesis and photoluminescence property of mesoporous EuF3 nanospheres

A simple solution route was introduced for the fabrication of uniform mesoporous EuF3 nanospheres by using Eu(NO3)(3) and ionic liquids ([BMIM]BF4) as the starting reaction reagents at room temperature under ambient pressure without any surfactants and templates. The mesoporous samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, as well as N-2 adsorption-desorption. The mesoporous EuF3 nanospheres are composed of tiny nanocrystals with a size of ca. 5 nm. The time dependent studies of the reactions have been conducted to reveal the morphological evolution of mesoporous EuF3 nanospheres. An intensive emission peak at around 592 nm was observed at room temperature for the mesoporous EuF3 nanospheres due to the D-5(o)-F-7(1) magnetic-dipole transition of Eu3+ ions. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.