Au@Y2O3:Eu3+ rare earth oxide hollow sub-microspheres with encapsulated gold nanoparticles and their optical properties

A facile method to synthesize novel Au@Y2O3:Eu3+ hollow sub-microspheres encapsulated with moveable gold nanoparticle core and Y2O3:Eu3+ as shell via two-step coating processes and a succeeding calcination process has been developed. Silica coating on citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles with a size of 25 nm can be obtained through a slightly modified Stöber process. Gold particles coated with double shell silica and Eu doped Y(OH)3 can be obtained by coating on the Au@SiO2 spheres through simply adding Y(NO3)3, Eu(NO3)3 and an appropriate quantity of NH3·H2O. Au@Y2O3:Eu3+ hollow sub-microspheres with moveable individual Au nanoparticle as core can be obtained after calcination of Au@Y2O3:Eu3+ particles at 600 °C for 2 h. These new core–shell structures with encapsulated gold nanoparticles have combined optical properties of both the Au nanoparticles and the Y2O3:Eu3+ phosphor materials which might have potential applications.

Graphical abstractA facile method has been developed to synthesize novel Au@Y2O3:Eu3+ hollow spheres with moveable gold nanoparticle core and Y2O3:Eu3+ as shell via two-step coating processes and a succeeding calcination process. Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide