Selective synthesis of monoclinic and tetragonal phase LaVO₄ nanorods via oxides-hydrothermal route

Pure monoclinic (m-) and tetragonal (t-) LaVO₄ nanorods are successfully obtained via a facile oxides-hydrothermal method, in which V₂O₅ and La₂O₃ bulk powders are directly utilized as precursors without pretreatment. It is found that ethylenediamine tetraacetic disodium salt (EDTA) is a key factor for synthesizing t-LaVO₄. The as-obtained products are characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The FTIR spectra of VO₄ around 800 cm⁻¹ are suggested as an effective auxiliary means to identify the crystal phase of LaVO₄. UV–Visible spectra of LaVO₄ nanomaterials are obvious blue shift compared with the bulk m-LaVO₄ materials. The different photoluminescent properties of Eu³⁺ doped m- and t-LaVO₄ are demonstrated. A dissolution–precipitation mechanism is mainly responsible for the anisotropic morphology and phase control evolution of the LaVO₄ nanocrystals. The oxides-hydrothermal system is also applicable to prepare other pure LnVO₄ (Ln³⁺: Nd³⁺, Y³⁺, Sm³⁺) and doped LnVO₄ nanomaterials.