Synthesis of mesoporous LaPO4nanostructures with controllable morphologiesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Synthetic details; additional SEM images and spectra. See DOI: 10.1039/b902381j.

Lanthanum phosphate (LaPO4) nanostructures with different morphologies were prepared by a facile solution–precipitation process. The effect of different reaction conditions on the morphology of nanostructures was studied. When the molar ratio of La3+ : H3PO4was around 1 : 2, 1 : 20, 1 : 100, and 1 : 200, four different morphologies, such as near-spherical, snowflake-like, star-shaped, lens-like nanostructures and short nanorods, were obtained, respectively. Meanwhile, similar shapes developed when the molar ratio of H3PO4to ionic surfactants, such as SDS and CTAB, was varied. In addition, Eu3+doped and Ce3+/Tb3+co-doped LaPO4nanostructures showed morphology evolution similar to undoped LaPO4nanostructures. The optical properties of these doped LaPO4were also characterized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]