Architectures of Strontium Hydroxyapatite Microspheres: Solvothermal Synthesis and Luminescence Properties

Strontium hydroxyapatite (Sr-5(PO4)(3)OH, SrHAp) microspheres with 3D architectures have been successfully prepared through a efficient and facile solvothermal process. The experimental results indicate that the SrHAP microspheres are composed of a large amount of nanosheets, which are assembled in a radial form from the center to the surface of the microspheres. The as-obtained SrHAp samples show an intense and bright blue emission from 350 to 570 nm centered at 427 nm (CIE coordinates: x = 0.153, y = 0.081; lifetime: 9.2 ns; quantum efficiency: 31%) under long-wavelength UV light excitation (344 nm). This blue emission might result from the CO2 center dot- radical impurities in the crystal lattice. Furthermore, the surfactants CTAB and trisodium citrate have an obvious impact on the morphologies and the luminescence properties of the products, respectively.

Tunable Luminescence in Monodisperse Zirconia Spheres

In this article, monodisperse spherical zirconia (ZrO2) particles with a narrow size distribution were prepared by the controlled hydrolysis of zirconium butoxide in ethanol, followed by heat treatment in air at low temperature from 300 to 500 degrees C. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectra, kinetic decay, and electron paramagnetic resonance were used to characterize the samples. The experimental results indicate that the annealed ZrO2 samples exhibit broad, intense visible photoluminescence. The annealing temperature is indispensable for the luminescence of the obtained ZrO2 particles. The emission colors of the ZrO2 samples can be tuned from blue to nearly white to dark orange by varying the annealing temperature.

Structural and Bluish-White Luminescent Properties of Li+-Doped BPO4 as a Potential Environmentally Friendly Phosphor Material

Many efforts have been devoted to exploring novel luminescent materials that not contain expensive or toxic elements, or do not need a mercury vapor plasma source. In this paper, BPO4 and Li+-doped BPO4 powder samples were prepared by the Pechini-type sol-gel (PSG) process. The structure and optical properties of the resulting samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), photoluminescence (PL) excitation and emission spectra, kinetic decay, and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), respectively. It was found that PSG -derived Li+-doped BPO4 annealed at 960 degrees C exhibited bright bluish-white emission centered at 416 nm. The luminescence decay curves analysis indicates that each sample has two kinds of lifetimes (5.9 ns and 0.529 ms) and two types of kinetic decay behaviors which can be fitted into a single-exponential function and a double-exponential function, respectively.

Enhanced luminescence of BPO4 by mixing with SiO2 and Al2O3

In this paper, BPO4-xSiO(2) (X: SiO2/BPO4 molar ratio, 0-70%) and BPO4-xAl(2)O(3) (X: Al2O3/BPO4 molar ratio, 0-20%) powder samples were prepared by the Pechini-type sol-gel (PSG) process using glycerol and poly(ethylene glycol) as additives. The structure and optical properties of the resulting samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), diffuse reflection spectra, photoluminescence (PL) excitation and emission spectra, kinetic decay, and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), respectively. It was found that the Pechini-type sol-gel-derived BPO4-xSiO(2) annealed at 1000 degrees C and BPO4-xAl(2)O(3) annealed at 960 degrees C exhibited bright bluish-white emissions centered at 428 and 413 nm, respectively. The luminescence decay curve analysis indicates that each sample has two kinds of lifetimes (more than 0.4 ms and less than 10 ns) and two types of kinetic decay behaviors, which can be fitted into a double-exponential function and a single-exponential function, respectively.

Multiform oxide optical materials via the versatile Pechini-type sol-gel process: Synthesis and characteristics

This feature article highlights work from the authors' laboratories on the various kinds of oxide optical materials, mainly luminescence and pigment materials with different forms (powder, core-shell structures, thin film and patterning) prepared by the Pechini-type sol-gel (PSG) process. The PSG process, which uses the common metal salts (nitrates, acetates, chlorides, etc.) as precursors and citric acid (CA) as chelating ligands of metal ions and polyhydroxy alcohol (such as ethylene glycol or poly ethylene glycol) as a cross-linking agent to form a polymeric resin on molecular level, reduces segregation of particular metal ions and ensures compositional homogeneity. This process can overcome most of the difficulties and disadvantages that frequently occur in the alkoxides based sol-gel process.

Phase transformation and photoluminescence properties of nanocrystalline ZrO2 powders prepared via the Pechini-type sol-gel process

Nanocrystalline ZrO2 fine powders were prepared via the Pechini-type sol-gel process followed by annealing from 500 to 1000 degrees C. The obtained ZrO2 samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and photoluminescence spectra (PL), respectively. The phase transition process from tetragonal (T) to monoclinic (M) was observed for the nanocrystalline ZrO2 powders in the annealing process, accompanied by the change of their photoluminescence properties. The 500 degrees C annealed ZrO2, powder with tetragonal structure shows an intense whitish blue emission (lambda(max) = 425 nm) with a wide range of excitation (230-400 nm). This emission decreased in intensity after being annealed at 600 degrees C (T + M-ZrO2) and disappeared at 700 (T + M-ZrO2), 800 (T + M-ZrO2), and 900 degrees C (M-ZrO2). After further annealing at 1000 degrees C (M-ZrO2), a strong blue-green emission appeared again (lambda(max) = 470 nm).

Controlled organization of silver nanoparticles into network assemblies by tuning pH values

We demonstrate the pH-induced assembly of 2-mercaptosuccinic acid-functionalized silver nanoparticles (MSA-Ag NPs) in the absence of hard or soft template. Two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) networks of silver NPs were achieved by tuning pH of the medium. The assembly process was monitored using atomic forces microscopy. The key factor affects the formation of network of silver NPs may be intermolecular hydrogen bonding between two carboxylic acid groups of MSA on two adjacent silver NPs.

Sol-gel-derived BPO4/Ba2+ as a new efficient and environmentally-friendly bluish-white luminescent material

In this paper, BPO4 and Ba2+-doped BPO4 powder samples were prepared by the sol-gel process using glycerol and poly(ethylene glycol) as additives. The structure and optical properties of the resulting samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), diffuse reflection spectra, photoluminescence (PL) excitation and emission spectra, quantum yield, kinetic decay, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), respectively. It was found that the undoped BPO4 showed a weak purple blue emission (409 nm, lifetime 6.4 ns) due to the carbon impurities involved in the host lattice. Doping Ba2+ into BPO4 resulted in oxygen-related defects as additional emission centers which enhanced the emission intensity greatly (> 10x) and shifted the emission to a longer-wavelength region (lambda(max) = 434 nm; chromaticity coordinates: x = 0.174, y = 0. 187) with a bluish-white color. The highest emission intensity was obtained ;when doping 6 mol % Ba2+ in BPO4, which has a quantum yield as high as 31%. The luminescent mechanisms of BPO4 and Ba2+-doped BPO4 were discussed in detail according to the existing models for silica-based materials.

LB films of 2-n-heptadecanoylbenzoic-rare earth and their luminescence properties

Several ultrathin luminescent Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films have been prepared by using the subphase containing the rare earth ions (Eu3+, Tb3-). The effect of the rare earth ions on the monolayer of 2-n-heptadecanoylbenzoic acid (HBA) was investigated. IR and UV spectra showed the rare earth ions were bound to the carboxylic acid head groups and the coordination took place between the polar head group and the rare earth ions. The layer structure of the LB films was demonstrated by low-angle X-ray diffraction. UV absorbance intensity increases linearly with the number of LB films layers, which indicate that the LB films are homogeneously deposited. The LB films can give off strong fluorescence. and the signal can be detected from a single layer. The characteristic luminescence behaviors of LB films have been discussed compared with those of the complexes.

Preparation and luminescence properties of LB films based on 4-hexadecyloxybenzoic terbium

LB films of 4-hexadecyloxybenzoic-terbium by using the subphase containing Tb3+ were prepared. The monolayer behavior of 4-hexadecyloxybenzoic acid (HOBA) on the subphase containing rare earth ions was studied. IR and UV spectra show that the rare earth ions were bound to carboxylic acid head groups and the coordination took place between the polar head group and the rare earth ions. The luminescence spectra show that the LB films have the fine luminescence properties, and the LB films emit strong luminescence under UV light irradiation.

Synthesis and electroluminescent properties of a novel terbium complex

A new carboxylic acid ligand (o-amino-4-hexadecane benzoic acid, AHBA) and a corresponding terbium complex (Tb(AHB)(3)) were synthesized and characterized. A multilayer electroluminescent device with poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK), 2-(4-biphenyl)-5-(4-t-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (PBD) and the terbium complex as emissive layer was fabricated: glass substrate/ITO/PPV/PVK:-To(AHB)(3):PBD/Alq(3)/Al. The photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL) spectra were discussed. This EL cell exhibited characteristic emission of terbium ions with a maximum luminance of 35 cd/m(2) at 20 V. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and characterization of two novel [Ru(bpy)(2)(phen)](2+)-based electrochemiluminescent labels

Two novel electrochemiluminescent labels, bis(2,2'-bipyridine)[5-(3-carboxylic acid-propionamido)1,10-phenanthroline]ruthenium(II) hexafluorophosphate dihydrate and bis(2,2'-bipyridine)[5-(4-carboxylic acid-butanamido)-1,10-phenanthroline]ruthenium(II) hexafluorophosphate dihydrate, were synthesized and confirmed by IRelemental analysis, and H-1-NMR spectra were completely assigned using the (HH)-H-1-H-1 COSY technique. Cyclic voltammograms with different scan rates showed quasireversible electrochemical behaviour of the two Ru (II) complex labels in MeCN solution. Electronic absorption, photoluminescence and electrochemiluminescence of Ru(II) complexes were also characterized. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Photoreduction behaviors of microperoxidase-11 adsorbed on the roughened silver electrodes

It was found that microperoxidase-ll (MP-II) can undergo photoreduction at the bale roughened silver electrode. No photoreduction happens at the roughened silver electrode modified with mercaptoundecanoic carboxylic acid/poly-lysine. The photoreduction mechanism is discussed.

Characterization and ionic conductivity of an amorphous comblike polymer - II: Based on ethylene maleic anhydride copolymer backbone with monoethyl ether of poly(ethylene glycol) of M-W=550 as side chain

Using a graft modification method, a comblike polymer host (CBPE550) was synthesized by reacting monomethyl ether of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEGMA) with ethylene-maleic anhydride copolymer (EMAC) and endcapping the residual carboxylic acid with methanol. The product was characterized by IR and elementary analysis. Result showed that the product was amorphous and semi-ester product is accord with reaction equation. There were two peaks in the plot of the ionic conductivity against Li salt concentration. The plot of log a against 1/(T - T-0) shows a dual VTF behavior when using the glass transition temperature of PEO of side chain as T beta. The comblike polymer is a white rubbery solid. It can be well-dissolved in acetone. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study on a comb-like polymer electrolyte based on the backbone of ethylene-maleic anhydride copolymer

A comb-like polymer host(CBPE) as polymer electrolyte was synthesized by reacting poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether (PEGME) with ethylene-maleic anhydride copolymer(EMAC) and endcapping the residual carboxylic acid with methanol. The synthetic process was followed by IR and the amorphous product characterized by IR and elemental analysis. There were two peaks in the plot of the ionic conductivity against Li salt concentration. The plot of log sigma vs. 1/(T - T-0) may exhibit dual VTF behavior when using the glass transition temperature of PEO of side chain as T-0. The comb-like polymer is a white rubbery solid which dissolves in acetone. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.