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Restructuring and Remodeling of NaREF 4 Nanocrystals by Electron Irradiation
Author(s) -
Sun Xiaoyu,
Wang Bingru,
Kempson Ivan,
Liu Chunyan,
Hou Yi,
Gao Mingyuan
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201401101
Subject(s) - nanorod , irradiation , materials science , electron beam processing , nanocrystal , nanomaterials , nanoparticle , cathode ray , nanometre , nanotechnology , electron , composite material , physics , quantum mechanics , nuclear physics
NaREF 4 nanocrystals are found to be highly manipulable by electron beam irradiation. With 200 kV electron beam irradiation, both 14.6 nm spherical NaGdF 4 :Yb,Er nanoparticles and 44.7 nm × 34.1 nm ellipsoidal NaYF 4 :Yb,Er nanorods form hollow structures and eventually convert to the corresponding REF 3 upon prolonged irradiation. Furthermore, the NaYF 4 nanorods fractured with irradiation with a 100 kV electron source are found to be subsequently self‐healed when irradiated with a 200 kV source. The detailed experimental results, in combination with theoretical analysis, suggest that knock‐on effects, specific lattice energy, and the inherently low surface energy of NaREF 4 collectively contribute to the formation of the hollow structures. These mechanisms allow controlled engineering and manipulation of RE nanomaterials on the nanometer scale.