Lanthanide-Based Lamellar Nanohybrids: Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and Optical Properties

A general nonaqueous route has been applied for the preparation of lanthanide ordered nanocrystalline hybrid structures. In a simple one-pot reaction process, Ln(III) isopropoxides (Ln = Gd, Sm, Nd) were dissolved in benzyl alcohol and reacted in an autoclave between 250 and 300 °C. This approach leads to crystalline lanthanide oxide layers regularly separated from each other by organic layers of intercalated benzoate molecules. They display good thermal stability for temperature up to 400 °C. The gadolinium-based nanohybrids showed outstanding optical emission properties when doped with terbium(III) and europium(III).