Synthesis, Structure, and Luminescent Properties of Europium-Doped Hydroxyapatite Nanocrystalline Powders

Abstract

The luminescent europium-doped hydroxyapatite (Eu:HAp, Ca10−xEux(PO4)6(OH)2) with0≤x≤0.2nanocrystalline powders was synthesized by coprecipitation. The structural, morphological, and textural properties were well characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The vibrational studies were performed by Fourier transform infrared, Raman, and photoluminescence spectroscopies. The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that hydroxyapatite is the unique crystalline constituent of all the samples, indicating that Eu has been successfully inserted into the HAp lattice. Eu doping inhibits HAp crystallization, leading to a decrease of the average crystallite size from around 20 nm in the undoped sample to around 7 nm in the sample with the highest Eu concentration. Furthermore, the samples show the characteristic5D0→7F0transition observed at 578 nm related to Eu3+ions distributed on Ca2+sites of the apatitic structure.