Introduction:
Hydroxyapatite, Ca10 (PO4)6(OH)2, a ceramic material is the major
inorganic component in bones and teeth of animals and humans. Although erbium is one of
the prominent representative elements among the lanthanides, erbium doped hydroxyapatite
has not been studied to a greater extent. This study reports the synthesis of erbium
doped hydroxyapatite using the simple precipitation method and its structural and optical
properties.
Objective:
The primary objective of this study was to synthesize erbium doped hydroxyapatite
and to study the structural and optical properties.
Materials and Methods:
Nanocrystalline erbium doped hydroxyapatite was successfully
prepared using simple precipitation method. Average particle size of the synthesized particle
was around 8-10 nm.
Results:
The typical absorption spectra of the erbium doped hydroxyapatite sample shows
almost well defined peaks of the erbium ions. The absorption bands were observed at 360
nm, 373 nm, 448 nm, 490 nm, 524 nm and at 653 nm. The photoluminescence spectrum
showed the presence of a green band at 550 nm and a red band which peaked at 750 nm.
Conclusion:
Spherical shaped nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite, Ca10 (PO4)6(OH)2 substituted
with Erbium(III) were obtained using precipitation method. The synthesized Er3+ doped
hydroxyapatite can be used for biophotonic applications, which exploits their exquisite optical
properties and infrared imaging and several other therapeutic applications.
Erbium-Doped Nanoparticle–Polymer Composite Thin Films for Photonic Applications: Structural and Optical Properties
