Zeolites with embedded bismuth compounds display strong, air‐stable, long‐lived, ultrabroadband, and tunable near‐infrared photoluminescence (see picture). Bismuth ions not only act as luminescence‐active centers, but also as blocks for selectively closing the “in–out windows” of water molecules. Bismuth active centers can be sealed in a low‐vibrational environment by bismuth agglomerates even when the sample still contains a large amount of water.

α-Ni(OH) 2 thin films have been synthesized on various substrates by liquid phase deposition method. The deposited films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The addition of boric acid (H 3 BO 3 ) as fluoride scavenger to the treatment solution destabilized the [NiF x (x-2n)-] metal-fluoro complex bonds and forced the oxide precipitation, resulting in the formation of α-Ni(OH) 2 . The obtained thin films exhibited transparency and interference color. SEM images showed that the films consisted of interconnected thread-like fibers with a width of ca. 50 nm. The deposition process and morphology of fibrous particles showed strong dependence to the initial concentrations of H 3 BO 3 solution and temperature. Transparency and interference color were related to the film thickness, which can be controlled by the concentration of Ni metal-fluoro complex and the reaction time. Calcination at 500 o C led to the formation of NiO particles. For comparison purpose, β-Ni(OH) 2 thin films prepared by "direct deposition" method which consists of simple heterogeneous nucleation in an aqueous solution without adding boric acid is reported.

Al-containing nickel layered double hydroxide was prepared by liquid phase deposition (LPD) using aluminum metal or compounds as the fluorine scavenger in the equilibrium reaction of nickel–fluorine complex ion. The obtained phases depend on the Al content when it is solely used as F− scavenger; α-nickel hydroxide is the predominant phase and a small amount of β-phase is detected. In contrast pure Ni–Al LDH/C composites, isostructural and isomorphic to α-Ni(OH)2 are obtained at any range of Al content from 0 to ca. 30 mol % of [Al]⁄[Al+Ni]. High stability of LDH in 6 M aqueous KOH solution was performed because of low impurity of cation species.

We have shown that efficient superbroadband near-IR luminescence can be realized in bismuth-doped high-silica nanocrystalline zeolites. The emission band covered the range of 930-1620 nm, with a maximum peak at 1146.3 nm, an FWHM of 152 nm, and a lifetime of over 300 mus under the excitation of a 488 nm laser line. The observed luminescence was attributed to subvalent Bi (Bi(+)) ions formed in the annealed zeolites. These Bi-doped nanozeolites may find applications as superbroadband near-IR nano-optical sources.

High purity α-nickel hydroxide/carbon composite has been synthesized by the liquid phase deposition (LPD) method. The purity of the as-prepared samples was confirmed by X-ray photon electron (XPS) survey spectra, which showed no other peak than that of the core levels Ni 2p, O 1s, C1s, Ni 3s and Ni 3p involved in the process. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed carbon particles randomly embedded within the Ni(OH)2 network. The amount of deposited nickel hydroxide can be controlled by the ratio between carbon and the quantity of the treatment solution, and the reaction time.