Document Type

Thesis

Date of Degree Completion

Spring 2009

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Department

Chemistry

Committee Chair

Dr. Anthony Diaz, Department of Chemistry

Second Committee Member

Dr. Yingbin Ge, Department of Chemistry

Third Committee Member

Dr. Audrey D. Huerta, Director Science Honors Research Program

Abstract

This study is the beginning of a project that is aimed at quantitatively modeling energy losses due to crystalline surface defects of nanometer sized particles of Yttrium oxide doped with europium (Y2O3:Eu3+). Information gained from this study will be useful to lighting and displaying industries as well as to the nano-tech community as we are investigating the behavior of matter at the interface between bulk and molecular properties. Five different particles diameters, ranging from 112 nm to 37 nm, of Y2O3:Eu3+ were synthesized at both 5% and 10% concentrations of Eu3+ by controlled synthetic methods. With the exception of the smallest particle sizes within both series, the expected trend of decreasing transfer efficiency, from the Y2O3 host lattice to the Eu3+ activator, was observed with decreasing particle diameter. The completed project will require the synthesis of four more Eu3+ concentration series, each at five different particle diameters in order to fully quantify surface loss as a function of particle diameter.

Comments

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