One-Step Facile Synthesis and Luminescence Properties of Eu3+-Doped Silica Nanowires

Graphical New interesting luminescent silica nanowires doped with Eu 3+ are prepared by the microemulsion method accompanied with a sol–gel process. The interaction between Eu 3+ ions and SiO 2 matrix and the luminescent properties of Eu 3+ -doped SiO 2 nanowires are investigated. Under UV excitation, the Eu 3+ -doped silica nanowires exhibit red emission. Uniformly sized and shaped Eu 3+ -doped silica nanowires were conventionally fabricated by the microemulsion method accompanied with a sol–gel process for the first time. The products were characterized by different techniques, and their luminescence properties were investigated and compared. The scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images demonstrated that the as-synthesized Eu 3+ -doped silica nanowires were formed in high yield with a smooth surface and a uniform diameter of about 130–150 nm. The results of FTIR spectroscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction showed that the Eu 3+ ions were doped into the silica network structure in the form of Si–O–Eu bonds. The effect of the Eu 3+ concentration on the luminescent intensity was investigated, and the highest emission intensity was found at the composition of 20 mol-% Eu 3+ . The obtained Eu 3+ -doped silica nanowires exhibited characteristic luminescent emission of Eu 3+ at λ = 613 nm and apparent concentration quenching above the concentration of 20 mol-% Eu 3+ . The growth processes of the silica nanowires were explained in detail on the basis of a modified vapor–liquid–solid mechanism.