Synthesis and optical properties of PbMoO_4 nanoplates

Nanometer sized lead molybdate （PbMoO4） plates are prepared through conventional hydrothermal together with sonochemical methods. The plates are then characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, Fourier transform infrared （FTIR） spectrometry, photoluminescence spectrometry, and ultraviolet-visible （UV-VIS） spectrometry. The results indicate that the nanoplates have a characteristically narrow particle size distribution and their tetragonal scheelite-type structure is confirmed by both X-ray diffractometry and FTIR spectrometry. When the nanoplates are compared with the corresponding bulk crystals, blue shifts in their photoluminescence peaks, wider optical band gaps, and the broadening of the X-ray diffractometer peaks are observed. These can be ascribed to the decrease in crystal size.

Structure and photoluminescence properties of fishbone-like PbMoO_4 nanostructures obtained via the surfactant-assisted hydrothermal method

Fishbone-like PbMoO4 nanostructures are successfully obtained via the surfactant-assisted hydrothermal method at 160 ℃. Polyethylene glycol （PEG2000） is used as the template agent. The nanostructures are characterized via X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible light （UV-Vis） spectroscopy, and photoluminescence （PL） measurements. The PbMoO4 morphology is highly associated with the molecular nature of PEG2000. PbMoO4 nanoparticles obtained from PEG2000 have a fishbone-shaped, scheelite-type tetragonal structure, in which numerous secondary branches vertically grow on both sides of the main stem. The structures exhibit broad PL emission bands with the maximum at 306 and 390 nm when excited at 250 nm. In addition, the UV-Vis absorption edge of the structures is in the 280 to 310 nm region, and the band gap is 4.07 eV. A plausible formation mechanism for the fishbone-like PbMoO4 nanostructures is also discussed.