Various rare-earth doped fluorides caught scientist attention recently as promising luminescent materials. One of those is sodium yttrium fluoride, which is interesting host to be doped with rare-earth ions as it possess appropriate optical properties, is thermally stable and biologically inert material [1].
Not only size of the particles but shape as well is responsible for various physicochemical properties of material, including luminescence. Rare earth doped fluorides can be applied as phosphors in light emitting diodes (LEDs), solid-state lasers, displays, solar cells, as anti-counterfeiting agents and so on [2]. NaYF4 can also be applied in biomedical field as well - as bio-imaging/theranostic particles or as drug delivery probes [3].
Herein we report synthesis route to obtain single-phase NaYF4 particles under hydrothermal conditions. Desired morphology (spheres, rods) can be obtained by altering pH value and amount of coordinating agent (malonic acid) within reaction mixture. Obtained particles were analyzed by means of using X-Ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Further plans are to improve this synthesis route in order to obtain monodisperse particles and to dope them with rare-earth ions.
