Microwave-assisted synthesis of highly water-soluble LuVO4:Eu nanoparticles as anti-counterfeit fluorescent ink

Abstract Highly water-soluble LuVO 4 :Eu nanoparticles with an average diameter of 165 nm were synthesized by a simple and rapid microwave-assisted hydrothermal method with water as solvent and polyacrylic acid (PAA) as surfactant. The conditions for synthesizing high-quality LuVO 4 :Eu nanoparticles were screened out by adjusting pH, temperature and the concentration of Eu 3+ ions. The solution of high-quality nanoparticles with relatively long fluorescence lifetime showed strong red emissions under ultraviolet excitation. Due to the high water-solubility and good fluorescence property, the aqueous solution of LuVO 4 :Eu nanoparticles was used as ink for anti-counterfeit printing, which meets various anti-counterfeit requirements.