ABSTRACT
Lanthanide-doped nanomaterials exhibit fascinating luminescence properties such as sharp emission, long luminescence lifetime, and emission over a wide wavelength span ranging from ultraviolet to far infrared. Exploiting these optical properties, they have been widely utilized in bioimaging, drug delivery, display devices, lasers, solid-state lighting, and solar cells. Interestingly, their luminescence characteristics are strongly correlated with the doping concentration, dopant–host combination, morphology, crystal structure, and the ligand present over the surface of the nanoparticles. Various physical methods (e.g., ball milling, physical vapor deposition, sputtering, and laser ablation) and chemical routes (e.g., chemical vapor deposition, hydrothermal, thermolysis, coprecipitation, sol–gel, and so on) are well established for the formation of lanthanide ion–doped nanomaterials. Among all, the solution-based synthesis methods or wet chemical methods are proven to be very promising in synthesizing the nanoparticles of desired structural features (e.g., particle size, shape, uniformity, phase, chemical composition, and functionality). Numerous wet chemical methods are well established for the synthesis of a variety of nanomaterials with each of them having some merits and demerits. A prior understanding about each of them is essential before adapting them for material preparation. In this direction, the current book chapter covers brief discussion about a few of important wet chemical methods that are 56very promising for the preparation of Ln-NPs of desired structural features. The chapter also deals with the basics of lanthanide ions luminescence discussing various factors that influence the luminescence characteristics of lanthanide ion–doped nanoparticles. Finally, a brief discussion about the application of luminescent Ln3+-doped nanomaterials in various fields such as biomedical, lighting, and energy harvesting is also presented based on the recent literature review.
