Preparation and characterization of new photoluminescent nano-powder based on Eu3+:La2Ti2O7 and dispersed into silica matrix for latent fingerprint detection

• Phosphor powder based on europium doped lanthanum titanate.
• Effect of different preparation conditions were studied.
• The powder characterized with intense red emission and long lifetime.
• Application of nano-powder for the fingerprint from various forensic surfaces.

Pure lanthanum titanate doped with europium metal ions (La2Ti2O7:Eu3+) and dispersed in silica matrix phosphor powder was prepared by sol–gel process followed by thermal treatment. The prepared nanophosphors were characterized by powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDX), and Photoluminescence Spectroscopy (PL). The effects of silica, thermal treatment, Eu3+ ion, and surfactant (CTAB) concentrations on the crystal, morphology, and photoluminescence properties were investigated. The present work found that dispersion of La2Ti2O7:Eu3+ into silica matrix significantly altered the morphology of La2Ti2O7:Eu3+ from high crystalline micro-plate like shape into amorphous aggregated Nano-spherical shape. The high separated spherical shape with intense red PL emission and long lifetime was obtained from 10 mol% Eu3+:La2Ti2O7:Eu3+, dispersed into silica matrix, and prepared in the presence of CTAB. The high PL Nano-phosphor has been successfully used in developing latent fingerprint from various forensic relevant materials.

New Eu3+:La2Ti2O7/SiO2 nanophosphor powder were prepared and optimized for latent fingerprint detection application from most relevant nonporous forensic surfaces.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide