Polymer-assisted chemical solution approach to YVO ₄:Eu nanoparticle networks

Phosphor YVO ₄:Eu nanoparticle networks were synthesized using water soluble ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) as binding ligands. The morphology, particle size, BET surface area, and photoluminescence of YVO ₄:Eu processed at different annealing temperatures (500, 600, 700, and 800 °C) and EDTA/PEI mass ratios (1:4, 1:2.5, 1:2, 1:1.5, 1:1, 2:1, and 4:1) were determined by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, fluorescence spectrophotometer, and N ₂ adsorption and desorption. The red emission was observed with increasing the annealing temperature. Importantly, the nanoparticles did not aggregate at high annealing temperatures up to 800 °C. The smallest size of the YVO ₄:Eu nanoparticles is about 18 nm and the surface area is 35 m ² g ^-1 with the EDTA/PEI mass ratios of 1:1-2.5.