Nonionic surfactant-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of YVO4:Eu3+ powders in a wide pH range and their luminescent properties

YVO4:Eu3+ powders with different morphologies were fabricated by a simple hydrothermal method at 180 deg. C for 24 h in a wide pH range with the assistance of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a nonionic surfactant. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The obtained results showed that the pH value of synthesis solution played a key role in the formation of final products with different morphologies, such as, microspheres, irregular microspheres with grain-like nanoparticles, stone-like structures with regular short nanorods, and smooth rhombohedrons. The PL measurements revealed that the emission intensity of the samples was first decreased, and then increased with increasing the pH value due mainly to the increase in crystallinity and decrease in surface defects.