Surfactant-assisted synthesis of lanthanide phosphates single-crystalline nanowires/nanorods

A facile, surfactant-assisted, hydrothermal approach has been developed to synthesize lanthanide phosphate single-crystalline nanowires/nanorods with smooth surface, uniform diameter, and good crystallinity. The surfactant Pluronic P123 was found to play a crucial role on the uniform morphology of lanthanide phosphate single-crystalline nanowires/nanorods. Photoluminescence spectra of the lanthanide phosphate single-crystalline nanowires/nanorods show that these nanowires/nanorods have strong photoluminescent emissions in the ultraviolet-visible and near-infrared regions. The present work is a preliminary and significant step toward the potential luminescent and catalytic applications of lanthanide compound based one-dimensional nanostructures.

CARBON NANOCAPSULES AND SINGLE-WALL NANOTUBES FORMED BY ARC EVAPORATION

Iron nanocrystals wrapped in graphitic carbon were produced by arc evaporation of iron-carbon composites, and an excellent protective nature of the outer graphitic carbon against oxidation of the core crystallites was revealed by an environmental test (80°C, 85% R.H., 7 days). Single-wall (SW) tubes were also produced by the arc method with various catalysts, Fe, Co, Ni, F/Ni, La, and Ce. Growth patterns and morphology of SW tubes were classified into three groups: (i) tubes tangled with each other to form “highway junction” pattern for Co and Fe/Ni, (ii) long and thin tubes radially growing from Ni particles, and (iii) short and thick tubes growing from lanthanide compound particles.