The affects of doping Eu3+ on structures and morphology of ZrO2 nanocrystals

Abstract The ZrO2 and ZrO2:Eu3+ nanocrystals (NCs) were prepared by a hydrothermal method. The samples were sintered at different temperatures (500, 800 and 1100 °C). The results indicate that the Eu3+ ions affect not only the structures of hosts (ZrO2), but also the morphology of hosts. The shape of ZrO2:Eu3+ NCs heated at 1100 °C is the one-dimensional nanorod, while is the zero-dimensional nanoparticle for pure ZrO2 samples sintered at the same temperature. The excitation and emission spectra of ZrO2:Eu3+ NCs were studied. In excitation spectra, the charge transfer band of Eu3+ in ZrO2 NCs heated at 1100 °C evidently blue-shifts in comparison with the NCs calcined at 500 and 800 °C. The relative intensity of 5 D 0 – 7 F 2 transitions of Eu3+ ions and color chromaticity for nanorods are increased in comparison with the nanoparticles.