Hydrothermal synthesis of spindle-like $${hbox {SrMoO}}_{4}{:}{hbox {Ln}}^{3+}$$ SrMoO 4 : Ln 3 + (Ln = Eu and Tb) microarchitectures for selectively detecting $${hbox {Fe}}^{3+}$$ Fe 3 + ions

In this work, spindle-like micrometre $${\hbox {SrMoO}}_{4}{:}{\hbox {Ln}}^{3+}$$ (Tb, Eu) phosphors have been synthesized and designed as a fluorescent sensor for $${\hbox {Fe}}^{3+}$$ ions assay. The structural information, morphologies and luminescence properties of the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared, Raman analysis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy and photoluminescence patterns. Furthermore, $${\hbox {Fe}}^{3+}$$ ions could be immediately detected using fluorescence quenching methods, and this method shows excellent and satisfying sensitivity. This facile method could be extended to environmental and biological applications.