Rapid hydrothermal route to synthesize cubic-phase gadolinium oxide nanorods

An inexpensive fabrication route and growth mechanism is being reported for obtaining quality gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) nanoscale rods. The elongated nanoscale systems, as produced via a hydrothermal process, were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), optical absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and magnetic hysteresis measurements. XRD patterns of the nanorods, as-prepared from independent precursors of different pH, depict a cubic crystal phase and an average crystallite size of 5–6.5 nm. As revealed from HRTEM micrographs, diameter of the nanorods prepared at pH = 13.3 (∼ 7 nm) was much smaller than the rods prepared at pH = 10.8 (∼ 19 nm). However, the aspect ratio was more than double in the former case than the latter case. PL response was found to be dominated by defect mediated emissions, whereas Raman spectrum of a given specimen (pH = 10.8) has revealed characteristic F g + A g modes of cubic phase of Gd2O3 nanorods, apart from other independent modes. Furthermore, M ∼ H plot of the nanorod system (pH = 10.8) exhibited slight departure from the ideal superparamagnetic behaviour, with low remanence and coercive field values. The exploitation of one-dimensional Gd2O3 nanorods have immense potential in the production of advanced contrast agents, smart drives and also in making novel ferrofluids of technological relevance.