Photoluminescence studies on zinc-neodymium layered double hydroxide

Abstract The creation of stable and cost-effective materials for industrial use is a key challenge in contemporary materials science. The ideal materials should possess high stability, be environmentally friendly, simple to produce, and allow for repeatable synthesis. Zinc-neodymium layered double hydroxides (LDH) meet many of these criteria and show promise for applications in luminescence. This study focuses on synthesizing a novel ZnNd-LDH using the coprecipitation method to explore its luminescent properties. Characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, and fluorescence spectroscopy were employed. XRD analysis confirmed the successful intercalation of Nd 3+ ions, evidenced by increased interlayer spacing of 0.2473 nm and the observed Miller indices value of (101) aligning with the hexagonal Nd 3+ crystal lattice. FTIR spectra showed peaks at 454, 673, and 819 cm −1 , indicative of Zn–O and Nd–O stretching, confirming the formation of ZnNd-LDH. SEM analysis revealed the material’s hexagonal symmetry and high crystallinity, with agglomerated flaky particles. BET analysis determined a surface area of 29.45 m 2 /g, suggesting a significant adsorption capacity. Fluorescence spectroscopy showed a strong emission peak at 280 nm when excited within a 200–500 nm range, demonstrating a wide bandgap of 4.43 eV, attributed to the incorporation of Nd 3+ . These findings indicate the potential of ZnNd-LDHs for applications in optoelectronic devices and luminescent materials.