Fabrication of Luminescent Eu2O3 Superstructures

This Letter demonstrates a solvent free efficient synthesis process to prepare self-assembled two-dimensional Eu2O3 luminescent nanoplates to yield a superstructure. In the first step, Eu2O2CO3 superstructures are fabricated by the thermolysis [700 degrees C] of a single precursor, europium acetate, in a closed reactor under autogenic pressure. The as-prepared Eu2O2CO3 superstructures are further heated in air to 750 degrees C to facilitate the fabrication of Eu2O3 superstructures. A systematic morphological, structural, and compositional characterization of Eu2O3 superstructures is carried out. The photoluminescent properties and mechanism for the strong red emission of the photoexcited Eu2O3 superstructures is proposed.