Fabrication of Gd3Ga5O12: Eu3+ Porous Luminescent Nanobelts via Electrospinning

PVP/[Gd(NO3)(3) + Ga(NO3)(3) + Eu(NO3)(3)] composite nanobelts were prepared via electrospinning, and Gd3Ga5O12: Eu3+ (denoted as GGG: Eu3+ for short) porous luminescent nanobelts were fabricated by calcination of the prepared composite nanobelts. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, TG-DTA, FTIR and fluorescence spectroscopy. XRD results show that the composite nanobelts are amorphous in structure, and pure phase GGG: Eu3+ nanobelts were obtained by calcination of the relevant composite nanobelts at 800 degrees C for 8 h and GGG: Eu3+ nanobelts belong to cubic system with space group I(a)3d. SEM analysis indicates that the surface of as-prepared composite nanobelts is smooth, the widths of the composite fibers are in narrow range, and the mean width and thickness are ca. 10 mu m and ca. 100 nm, respectively, and there are no cross-linkages among nanobelts. The width and thickness of GGG: Eu3+ nanobelts are ca. 2. 5 mu m and ca. 30 nm, respectively, and the length is greater than 500 mu m. TEM analysis indicates that GGG: Eu3+ nanobelts possess porous, web-like and polycrystalline structure. TG-DTA analysis reveals that DMF, organic compounds and nitrate salts in the composite nanobelts are decomposed and volatilized totally, and the mass of the sample kept constant when sintering temperature was above 700 degrees C, and the total mass loss percentage is 93.1%. FTIR analysis manifests that pure inorganic oxides are formed at 800 degrees C. Fluorescence spectroscopy results show that GGG: Eu3+ nanobelts emit strong red emission centering at 591 nm under the excitation of 254 nm ultraviolet ray, which is attributed to the transition of D-5(0)-->E-7(1) energy levels of Eu3+. The possible formation mechanism of the GGG: Eu3+ nanobelts was preliminarily discussed. This technique can he applied to fabricate other rare earth garnet-typed nanobelts.