Au@Y_2O_3:Eu~(3+) rare earth oxide hollow sub-microspheres with encapsulated gold nanoparticles and their optical properties

摘要

A facile method to synthesize novel Au@Y_2O_3:Eu~(3+) hollow sub-microspheres encapsulated with moveable gold nanoparticle core and Y_2O_3:Eu~(3+) as shell via two-step coating processes and a succeeding calcination process has been developed. Silica coating on citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles with a size of 25 nm can be obtained through a slightly modified Stober process. Gold particles coated with double shell silica and Eu doped Y(OH)_3 can be obtained by coating on the Au@SiO_2 spheres through simply adding Y(NO_3)_3, Eu(NO_3)_3 and an appropriate quantity of NH_3 centre dot H_2O. Au@Y_2O_3:Eu~(3+) hollow sub-microspheres with moveable individual Au nanoparticle as core can be obtained after calcination of Au@Y_2O_3:Eu~(3+)particles at 600 deg C for 2 h. These new core-shell structures with encapsulated gold nanoparticles have combined optical properties of both the Au nanoparticles and the Y_2O_3:Eu~(3+) phosphor materials which might have potential applications.