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TiO 2 /Eu 3+ Thin Films with High Photoluminescence Emission Prepared by Electrophoretic Deposition from Nanoparticulate Sols
Author(s) -
Borlaf Mario,
Colomer María T.,
de Andrés Alicia,
Cabello Fátima,
Serna Rosalia,
Moreno Rodrigo
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
european journal of inorganic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1099-0682
pISSN - 1434-1948
DOI - 10.1002/ejic.201402445
Subject(s) - electrophoretic deposition , photoluminescence , anatase , thin film , deposition (geology) , chemistry , nanoparticle , chemical engineering , electrophoresis , analytical chemistry (journal) , surface roughness , nanotechnology , photocatalysis , materials science , catalysis , chromatography , composite material , optoelectronics , organic chemistry , paleontology , sediment , engineering , biology , coating
The light emission properties of anatase TiO 2 /Eu 3+ thin films prepared by electrophoretic deposition and of the corresponding precursor nanoparticulate sols and xerogels with different Eu 3+ contents are reported. Transparent anatase TiO 2 thin films were successfully obtained by electrophoretic deposition after dilution of the original sols with ethanol in order to inhibit the water hydrolysis and facilitate the drying process. The topography of the films shows a high homogeneous distribution in terms of grain size and roughness of the surface of the thin films. The film thickness varied from 50 nm to 800 nm and it was found to be strongly dependent on the Eu 3+ content of the sols, probably because of uncompensated electrical charges provided by Eu 3+ ions located at the surface of the nanoparticles. A spontaneous densification of the films occurs at a thickness above 400 nm and, concomitantly, a significant increase of the Eu 3+ emission efficiency is detected.