| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 237536 | Powder Technology | 2011 | 6 Pages |
TiO2 nanotubes doped with Eu3+ ions have been fabricated by a simple hydrothermal process. The formation mechanism of TiO2:Eu3+ nanotubes is proposed in detail. The nanotubes are evolved from the rolling up of the anatase sheets, which was verified by characterizations using the X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Compared with the TiO2:Eu3+ nanocrystals, TiO2:Eu3+ nanotubes exhibit considerably stronger photoluminescence (PL) under the excitation of 393 nm. Furthermore, the PL intensity increases with the increasing of Eu3+ concentration in TiO2 nanotubes, and concentration quenching occurs when Eu3+ concentration exceeds 2.0 mol%. In addition, the luminescent lifetime of the TiO2:Eu3+ nanotubes is also examined. It is expected that the TiO2:Eu3+ nanotubes can be used as novel semiconductor luminescence materials.
Graphical abstractTiO2 nanotubes doped with Eu3+ have been fabricated by a simple hydrothermal process. The mechanism of the formation process of Eu3+-doped TiO2 nanotubes was proposed in detail.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► TiO2:Eu3+ nanotubes have been fabricated by hydrothermal process. ► The nanotubes are composed of sheets containing a few layers. ► The best doping concentration is 2 mol%. ► The PL intensity is higher than Eu3+-doped TiO2 nanoparticles.
