Patent ID: 8609053

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a nanomaterial of a metal oxide doped with metal ions in a low valence state, the process comprising the steps of: a) mixing a precursor salt of the oxide of at least one metal belonging to Group IIA or IIIA with one or more dopant precursors to provide an oxidizer, one or more dopant precursors containing a nitrate salt of a lanthanide selected from the group consisting of Eu +2 , Ce +3 , Nd +2 , Dy +2 , and combinations thereof, and wherein the metal salt is selected from the group consisting of nitrate, acetate, oxalate, carbonate and hydroxide, b) homogenizing the oxidizer in water along with activated charcoal and a combustible organic fuel to obtain a paste-like mass, c) heating the paste-like mass obtained in step (b) in a container, at a temperature in the range of 200° C. to 1000° C., for a period sufficient to produce a bright yellow flame and to generate volatile gases, d) cooling the container and removing a fluffy and voluminous mass of nanomaterial comprising nanowires of the at least one Group IIA or IIIA metal oxide doped with the respective lanthanide.