Ion exchanged YVO4:Eu3+ nanocrystals and their strong luminescence enhanced by energy transfer of thenoyltrifluoroacetone ligands

In this work, undoped YVO4 nanocrystals (10–15 nm in size) were first synthesized by a solvothermal method, and they were ion exchanged for Eu3+ ions to form YVO4:Eu3+ nanocrystals, which were then used to prepare YVO4:Eu3+–thenoyltrifluoroacetone hybrid nanostructures. As expected, the ion exchanged YVO4:Eu3+ nanocrystals exhibited the characteristic V–O charge transfer excitation band. Much stronger luminescence has been observed in the YVO4:Eu3+–thenoyltrifluoroacetone hybrid nanostructures due to energy transfer from thenoyltrifluoroacetone ligands to Eu3+ ions. The dependence of luminescence of the YVO4:Eu3+–thenoyltrifluoroacetone hybrid nanostructures on the Eu3+ concentration and amount of thenoyltrifluoroacetone ligands was investigated in detail, and optimal preparation conditions were determined. Their UV–Vis absorption spectra and BET specific surface area were measured. X-ray diffraction technique, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to study their microstructural characteristics.