title: A molecular precursor approach to monodisperse scintillating CeF3 nanocrystals.
abstract: A series of anhydrous cerium(III) trifluoroacetate complexes with neutral O-donor ligands, namely Ce2(OAc)(TFA)5(DMF)3 (1), Ce(TFA)3(L)x [x = 2, L = THF (2), DMF (3), DMSO (4); x = 1, L = diglyme (5)] and Ce2(TFA)6(DMSO)x(DMF)y [x = 6, y = 0 (6); x = 4, y = 2 (7)] (where OAc = acetate, TFA = trifluoroacetate, THF = tetrahydrofuran, DMF = dimethylformamide, DMSO = dimethylsulphoxide, and diglyme = MeO(C2H4O)2Me] were synthesized and completely characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy and TG-DTA-MS studies. A partially hydrated complex [Ce(TFA)3(diglyme)(H2O)] (8) was obtained by slow evaporation of the THF solution of anhydrous 5 in the air. The single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of 1, 3, 4, and 6–8 showed the versatile bonding mode of the TFA ligand (terminal, chelating and bridging). These complexes, on decomposition in 1-octadecene in inert atmosphere, gave CeF3 nanoparticles of 8–11 nm size. The complex 5 proved to be the best precursor in the series because of the ability of the diglyme ligand to act as capping reagent during decomposition to render the CeF3 particles monodisperse in organic solvents. The obtained CeF3 nanoparticles were characterized by FT-IR, EDX analysis and TEM studies and their luminescence and scintillation responses under UV and X-ray excitation were studied and compared with that of CeF3 single crystal.
authors: University of Lyon1, Institut Lumière Matière, UMR5306 CNRS, Bâtiment Kastler, 10 rue Ada Byron, 69622 Villeurbanne, France. shashank.mishra@ircelyon.univ-lyon1.fr
authors: Shashank
authors: S
authors: Mishra
authors: Erwann
authors: E
authors: Jeanneau
authors: Anne-Laure
authors: AL
authors: Bulin
authors: Gilles
authors: G
authors: Ledoux
authors: Bernadette
authors: B
authors: Jouguet
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Amans
authors: Andrei
authors: A
authors: Belsky
authors: Stéphane
authors: S
authors: Daniele
authors: Christophe
authors: C
authors: Dujardin