Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
1487835 Materials Research Bulletin 2014 4 Pages PDF
Abstract

•Eu3+ luminescent probe used for establishing the role of 6s2 lone pair electrons of Bi3+ in fluorapatite.•Difference in Eu3+ PL emission spectral features in NaCa3Bi0.95Eu0.05(PO4)3F and NaCa3La0.95Eu0.05(PO4)3F.•Preferential site occupancy of Bi3+ in M(II) site directs Eu3+ to M(I) site in NaCa3Bi0.95Eu0.05(PO4)3F.

Eu3+ luminescence was used as a structural probe in understanding the preferential site occupancy of lone pair cation, Bi3+, in fluorapatite by comparing the photoluminescence (PL) emission spectral features with that of in analogous La3+ based fluorapatite. The fluorapatites, NaCa3Bi0.95Eu0.05(PO4)3F and NaCa3La0.95Eu0.05(PO4)3F, were synthesized by conventional high temperature solid state reaction method and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FT-IR spectroscopy. The Eu3+ PL results revealed a difference in the emission spectral features in NaCa3Bi0.95Eu0.05(PO4)3F and NaCa3La0.95Eu0.05(PO4)3F. This difference in Eu3+ PL emission can be attributed to the difference in its site occupancy in the studied fluorapatites.

Graphical abstractEu3+ structural probe – difference in Eu3+ PL emission in (a) NaCa3Bi0.95Eu0.05(PO4)3F and (b) NaCa3La0.95Eu0.05(PO4)3F suggests Bi3+ with preferential site occupancy at M(II) site directing Eu3+ to M(I) site.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide

Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Materials Science Ceramics and Composites
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