Controllable Synthesis and Luminescence Properties of La(OH)3 and La(OH)3:Tb3+ Nanocrystals with Multiform Morphologies

One-dimensional La(OH)(3) nanocrystals with multiform morphologies have been successfully synthesized by a facile bydrothermal process without using any surfactant, catalyst, or template. It can be found that the pH values of the initial solutions and the alkaline sources play a crucial role in controlling the morphologies of the products. The possible formation process of the 1D samples was investigated in detail, Furthermore, the as-prepared Tb3+-doped La(OH)(3) samples show a strong green emission corresponding to D-5(4)-F-7(5) transition of the Tb3+ ions under ultraviolet or low-voltage excitation. The experimental results indicate that the luminescence properties of the as-obtained phosphors are dependent on their morphologies and sizes. As a result of the unique luminescence properties and controllable morphology and size, these phosphors may find potential applications in fields such as optoelectronic and nanoscale devices or biological technology. ((C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)