Descreve-se a síntese de nanoestruturas de CdSiO 3 cristalino como fase única a 580 °C; ao que sabemos, esta é a mais baixa temperatura de formação observada até o presente para este composto. A formação da fase desejada ocorre somente a partir de de 580 °C, já que a 570 °C os picos de difração estão deslocados para menores ângulos em relação ao padrão JCPDS 85-0310. A fonte de silício influencia diretamente a morfologia do material: Na 2 SiO 3 leva à formação de nanopartículas na forma de agulhas, ao passo que sílica mesostruturada de alta área superficial leva a partículas coralóides. A difratometria de raios X em baixo ângulo mostra que o caráter mesosestruturado da sílica precursora não se mantém no CdSiO 3 resultante. A microscopia eletrônica de varredura sugere que, neste caso, haja uma transição da morfologia esférica do precursor para a morfologia em forma de agulhas do material obtido a partir de Na 2 SiO 3 . A área superficial do precursor de sílica utilizado tem influência direta na formação de CdSiO 3 , pois o uso de sílica comercial de menor área superficial não resulta no produto desejado.We report the synthesis of single-phase, crystalline CdSiO 3 nanostructures at 580 °C; to the best of our knowledge, this is the lowest temperature at which this material is reported to form. The desired phase does not form below 580 °C, since the diffraction peaks are shifted to lower angles in the material treated at 570 °C when compared to JDPDS Card No. 85-0310. The source of silicon has strong influence on the product morphology: Na 2 SiO 3 yields single-phase CdSiO 3 in needle-shaped nanostructures, while high surface area mesostructured SiO 2 yields coralloidshaped particles. Low angle X-ray diffractometry reveals that the mesostructured nature of the silica precursor is not maintained in the resulting CdSiO 3 . Scanning electron microscopy suggests that in this case a transition occurs between the spherical morphology of the precursor and the needle-shape morphology of the material prepared from Na 2 SiO 3 . The surface area of the silica precursor has a strong influence in the reaction, since the use of commercial silica with a lower surface area does not yield the desired product.Keywords: cadmium metasilicate, morphology control, molten precursor method
IntroductionIn recent years, compounds that exhibit the property of long lasting phosphorescence (LLP) have become of great interest. This phenomenon is observed when a compound is capable of absorbing visible and UV light, storing the energy and releasing it as visible light, resulting in a long lasting afterglow in the dark.1 These materials have a wide range of applications, such as emergency lighting and road signs, and medicinal applications are possible in principle.2,3 The phenomenon has been known since ancient times and a good example is the Stone of Bologna, studied by Galileo himself, which shows a yellow-orange afterglow when exposed to sunlight due to the presence of BaS impurities.
4-6The silicate family is an attractive class of materials ...