Nanocomposites and nanomaterials

Effects of Eu3+ and F- doping on structure and optical properties of zirconium oxides
Chornii V.P.1,2, Boyko V.V.1, Nedilko S.G.2, Prokopets V.M., Terebilenko K.V.2, Slobodyanik M.S.2,Pan’ko O.P.1, Sheludko V.I.3
1 National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine. Geroiv Oborony st., 15, Kyiv-03041, Ukraine. 
E-mail: vchornii@gmail.com
2 Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Volodymyrska st., 64/13, Kyiv-01601, Ukraine. 
3 Oleksandr Dovzhenko Hlukhiv National Pedagogical University. Kyjevo-Moskovs’ka st., 24, Hlukhiv-41400, Ukraine. 

Oxide compounds with zirconium (IV) as a regular element in a crystal lattice have been widely proposed for using as gas sensors, materials for nuclear waste confinement, phosphors for LEDs and plasma display panels, fluorescent markers for medical and biological applications, etc [1]. A great attention has been paid to luminescence properties of zirconium oxide compounds both in a form of bulk crystals and nanocrystals, especially nanoparticles of zirconium dioxide - ZrO2. Moving to nanoscale results in changes of crystal structure (e.g., phase transformations in ZrO2), morphology and optical properties. Doping of zirconium oxides nanoparticles with various impurities (e.g. rare-earth ions) has great effect on various properties of these materials, in particular on luminescent ones. 
The procedure of synthesis of pure and doped zirconium oxide compounds (ZrP2O7, KZr2(PO4)3, K2BiZr(PO4)3 and ZrO2) have been reported in the work. The samples were studied by means of X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron and optical microscopy, IR, UV-Vis and luminescence spectroscopy. Influence of substitution of zirconum and oxygen by Eu3+, Y3+ and F- ions on luminescence properties has been studied. The peculiarities of electronic band structures of various zirconium oxide compounds and effects of crystallite size on optical properties have been discussed. 

1.	Nikam A., Pagar T., Ghotekar S., Pagar K., Pansambal S. A review on plant extract mediated green synthesis of zirconia nanoparticles and their miscellaneous applications // J. Chem. Rev.-2019.-1.-P. 154-163.