Luminescent rare earth tantalate and niobate: synthesis, properties and applications in photonics

Abstract

The research aim of this project is the preparation of luminescent rare earth doped (RE) tantalates and niobates, using the sol-gel methodology. This synthesis methodology allows the preparation of materials using relatively low energy compared to other synthetic routes widely described in the literature, such as the solid state reaction using very high temperatures. Alkoxy precursors and Ta2O5, Nb2O5 and RE oxides will be used. Concerning on the precursors of RE elements, commercial oxides and reclycling products from the FAPESP project (2016 / 50112-8 entitled Recovery of lanthanides and other metals from WEEE), which involves an international network of researchers, will be used. It will be carried out the materials preparation focused mainly on the structural and spectroscopic study and, later, a systematic study on morphological control of the nanoparticles. In addition to the particulate systems, a luminescent tantalates or niobates coating on the magnetic nanoparticles wil be systematically studied to reach multifunctional core-shell nanoparticles. The synthesized materials may be applied in areas such as Optics, Photonics and Biophotonics, especially in the Health, Energy and Telecommunications sectors.The preparation and structural and spectroscopic characterization as a function of composition, doping and thermal annealig represent the basis of the academic study which will be developed, closely correlating the structure of matter with the luminescent properties and applications. For this purpose, a systematic optical, structural, morphological and spectroscopic (vibrational and electronic) properties will be carried out and studied, aiming at the improvement and optimization of these properties for later technological applications, especially as optical markers.