Sonochemical synthesis and optical properties of europium oxide nanolayer coated on titania

Submicron-size particles of titania were coated by a nanolayer of europium oxide with the aid of power ultrasound. Ultrasound irradiation of a slurry of titania, europium nitrate, and ammonia in an aqueous medium for 120 min yielded a Eu2O3-TiO2 nanocomposite. The Eu2O3 nanolayer deposited on the submicron-size TiO2 particles was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, and optical X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies.