Synthesis of zinc phosphate and zinc ammonium phosphate nanostructures with different morphologies through pH control

In this work, morphologically different zinc phosphate (alpha-Zn-3(PO4)(2)center dot 4H(2)O) nanostructures were synthesized from single crystalline nanosheets in an aqueous solution via a simple surfactant and template-free microwave-assisted sono-chemical method. The morphologies of crystalline alpha-Zn-3(PO4)(2)center dot 4H(2)O were controlled through adjustments in the pH values in the reaction system. Plate-like samples with an average thickness of 0.1-1.8 mu m and flower-like samples with an average size of 8.8-11.0 mu m were obtained at pH <= 3.5 and pH >= 4.0, respectively. Furthermore, different growth orientation profiles were shown between the two samples with these morphologies. When the pH was set between 6.0 and 7.0, flower-shaped, bicone-shaped and prismatic-shaped zinc phosphate crystals were obtained. Zinc ammonium phosphate nanowires were obtained when the pH = 10.0. The generated Dy3+-doped zinc phosphate exhibited good fluorescence performance. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.