Low temperature chemical reaction synthesis of single-crystalline Eu(OH)3nanorods and their thermal conversion to Eu2O3nanorods

We have developed a novel and simple method for chemical reaction synthesis of Eu(OH)3 nanorods with a diameter of 20–30 nm and a length of about 300 nm at 90 °C using cyclohexylamine as the alkaline source instead of NaOH with subsequent thermal conversion to Eu2O3 nanorods at 700 °C. The effect of different alkaline sources on the shape of Eu(OH)3 nanostructures has been investigated. Moreover, the morphology, structure and optical properties of the Eu(OH)3 and Eu2O3 nanostructures prepared under different conditions have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), x-ray powder diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and photoluminescence (PL). The mechanisms of formation for the synthesis of the Eu(OH)3 nanostructures with different morphologies are presented.