Sacrificial template method for fabrication of submicrometer-sized YPO(4):Eu(3+) hierarchical hollow spheres.

Large-scale good-quality submicrometer-sized YPO(4):Eu(3+) hollow spheres were synthesized by utilizing the colloidal spheres of Y(OH)CO(3):Eu(3+) as a sacrificial template and NH(4)H(2)PO(4) as a phosphorus source, for the first time. The whole process mainly consists of the hydrothermal reaction and acid erosion. The YPO(4):Eu(3+)@Y(OH)CO(3):Eu(3+) core-shell structures were first obtained after the hydrothermal process. Then, the remaining Y(OH)CO(3):Eu(3+) was removed by selective dissolution in a dilute nitric acid solution. The YPO(4):Eu(3+) hollow spheres were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and photoluminescence (PL). The formation mechanism was also investigated. The obtained YPO(4):Eu(3+) hollow spheres may have potential applications in cell biology, drug release, and diagnosis, due to high chemical stability and luminescence functionality.