Synthesis and NMR investigation of 2D nanocrystals of the LaF3 doped by SrF2

•Nanocrystals of LaF3 doped by SrF2 were synthesized at the gas-solution interface.•The amount of SrF2 in material can be varied up to 16 mol%.•The nanosized La1−xSrxF3−x has the crystal structure of tysonite.•The synthesized material possesses the highest ionic mobility.

Nanostructured superionic conductor LaF3 doped by SrF2 is obtained in the first time using the synthesis at the solution–gas interface. The product composition La1-xSrxF3-x (0 < x ≤ 0.16) was analyzed using SEM, FT-IR, XRD and EPM. It consists of nanosheets aggregated in microtubes. The SrF2 content is varied from 2 mol% to 16 mol%. XRD analysis indicates tysonite crystal structure, which is still preserved up to 1000 K. NMR diffusometry has shown a significant enhancement of the diffusion coefficient, which is at least one order of magnitude higher than for undoped nanosized LaF3 and about 3 orders of magnitude higher than for bulk LaF3 at temperatures around 800 K.

Graphical abstractThe facile synthesis at the gas–solution interface of nanosized LaF3 doped by SrF2, its characterization and study of fluorine ionic mobility using NMR diffusometry are presented.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide