Luminescent Eu2O3 nanocrystals by Aspalathus linearis' extract: structural and optical properties

This contribution reports on the synthesis and the main physical properties of europium oxide nanocrystals synthesized for the first time by a completely green physical-chemistry process using Aspalathus linearis' leaves natural extract as an effective chelating agent. The structural and optical properties of such biosynthesized nanocrystals were investigated by electron microscopy, selective electron diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy, x-rays diffraction, Raman and x-rays photoelectron spectroscopies, as well as room-temperature photoluminescence. The luminescence properties of such cubic nanocrystals with a 16.5 nm average size were characterized by an intense red emission centered at 614.8 nm (D-5(0) - F-7(3)) with an average time decay of 7.808 mu s. (C) 2016 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)