| Abstract
| - Lutetium fluorides with different compositions, crystal phases, and morphologies, such as β-NaLuF4 hexagonal microprisms, microdisks, mirotubes, α-NaLuF4 submicrospheres, LuF3 octahedra, and NH4Lu2F7 icosahedra, prolate ellipsoids and spherical particles have been successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal route. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, and photoluminescence spectra were used to characterize the samples. The intrinsic structural feature of lutetium fluorides, the solution pH values, F− sources, and organic additives (Cit3− and EDTA) account for the ultimate shape evolutions of the final products. The possible formation mechanisms for products with various architectures have been presented. Additionally, we investigated the upconversion luminescence properties of β-NaLuF4: 20% Yb3+/2% Er3+ with different morphologies. This is a facile and general strategy to modulate the crystal phases, morphologies, and sizes of lutetium fluorides, which might be applicable for other lanthanide fluorides.
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