Influence of the Sodium Precursor on the Cubic-to-Hexagonal Phase Transformation and Controlled Preparation of Uniform NaNdF4 Nanoparticles

NaLnF4 nanoparticles (NPs) with lighter lanthanides (where Ln = La, Ce, Nd, or Pr) are more difficult to prepare than those with heavier lanthanides [Naduviledathu et al. Chem Mater., 2014, 26, 5689]. Our knowledge is weakest for NaLnF4 NPs with the lowest atomic mass lanthanides (Yan's group 1: La to Nd) and more advanced for group 2 (Sm to Tb) NaLnF4 NPs [Mai et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2006, 128, 6426]. Here we focus on the synthesis of NaNdF4 NPs. We employed the high-temperature chemical coprecipitation method and explored the influence of a wide range of synthesis parameters (e.g., reaction time and temperature, precursor ratios (Na+/Nd3+ and F–/Nd3+), choice of a sodium precursor (Na-oleate or NaOH), and the amount of oleic acid) on the size and uniformity of the NPs obtained. We tried to identify "sweet spots" in the reaction space that led to uniform NaNdF4 NPs with sizes appropriate for mass tag applications in mass cytometry. We were able to obtain NPs with a variety of sizes in the range of 5–38 nm with several different shapes (e.g., polyhedra, spheres, and rods). XRD patterns recorded for aliquots collected at different reaction time intervals revealed that NaNdF4 nucleated in the cubic phase (α) and then transformed to the hexagonal phase (β) as the reaction progressed up to 2 h. A very striking observation was that the NPs synthesized using NaOH as a reactant preferred to remain in the α-phase, and for a lower reaction temperature (285 °C), did not undergo a phase transformation to the β-phase over 2 h of reaction time. Under similar experimental conditions, NPs prepared using Na-oleate exhibited an α → β phase transformation. Nevertheless, NaNdF4 NPs prepared at a higher temperature (315 °C) using either of the Na+ precursors exhibited the α → β phase transformation over time. This transition, however, appeared to be faster in the case of the NPs synthesized using Na-oleate. We found that, in many instances, syntheses carried out using Na-oleate produced more uniform NPs compared to those synthesized using NaOH. Under the conditions we employed for the Na-oleate precursor, the NPs initially formed were polydisperse spheres that evolved into irregular polyhedra and eventually formed more uniform rod-shaped NPs. The aspect ratio of the final NPs depended on the Na+/Nd3+ precursor ratio. High-resolution transmission electron micrographs and corresponding fast Fourier transform of the data provided information about the preferred growth direction of the NaNdF4 nanorods.