Sol-gel synthesis and characterization of SiO2@NaGd(WO4)(2): Eu3+ core-shell-structured spherical phosphor particles

Monodisperse, core-shell-structured SiO2@NaGd(WO4)(2):Eu3+ particles were prepared by the sol-gel method. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence (PL), and low-voltage cathodoluminescence (CL) as well as time-resolved PL spectra and lifetimes. PL and CL study revealed that the core-shell-structured SiO2@NaGd (WO4)(2):Eu3+ particles show strong red emission dominated by the D-5(0) - F-7(2) transition of Eu3+ at 614 nm with a lifetime of 0.74 ms. The PL and CL emission intensity can be tuned by the coating number of NaGd(WO4)(2):Eu3+ phosphor layers on SiO2 and by accelerating voltage and the filament current, respectively.

Spherical SiO2@GdPO4 : Eu3+ core-shell phosphors: Sol-gel synthesis and characterization

Nanocrystalline GdPO4 : Eu3+ phosphor layers were coated on non-aggregated, monodisperse and spherical SiO2 particles by Pechini sol-gel method, resulting in the formation of core-shell structured SiO2@GdPO4 : Eu3+ particles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL), low-voltage cathodoluminescence (CL), time-resolved PL spectra and lifetimes were used to characterize the core-shell structured materials. Both XRD and FT IR results indicate that GdPO4 layers have been successfully coated on the SiO2 particles, which can be further verified by the images of FESEM and TEM. Under UV light excitation, the SiO2@GdPO4: Eu3+ phosphors show orange-red luminescence with Eu(3+)sD(0)-F-7(1) (593 nm) as the most prominent group. The PL excitation and emission spectra suggest that an energy transfer occurs from Gd3+ to Eu3+ in SiO2@GdPO4: Eu3+ phosphors. The obtained core-shell phosphors have potential applications in FED and PDP devices.

Citrate-gel synthesis and luminescent properties of alpha-Zn-3(PO4)(2) doped with Eu3+

By using inorganic salts as raw materials and citric acid as complexing agent, alpha-Zn-3(PO4)(2) and Eu3+ doped alpha-Zn-3(PO4)(2) phosphor powders were prepared by a citrate-gel process. X-ray diffraction, (XRD), TG - DTA, FT - IR and luminescence excitation and emission spectra were used to characterize the resulting products. The results of XRD reveal that the powders begin to crystallize at 500 degreesC and pure alpha-Zn-3(PO4)(2) phase is obtained at 800 degreesC. And the results of XRD reveal that Eu3+ exists Lis EoPO(4) ill the powder. In the phosphor powders, the Eu3+ shows its characteristic red-orange (592 nm, D-5(0) - F-7(1)) emission and has no quenching concentration.

Sol-gel synthesis and characterization of SiO2@CaWO4, SiO2@CaWO4 : Eu3+/Tb3+ core-shell structured spherical particles

Nanocrystalline CaWO4 and Eu3+ (Tb3+)-doped CaWO4 phosphor layers were coated on non-aggregated, monodisperse and spherical SiO2 particles by the Pechini sol-gel method, resulting in the formation of SiO2@CaWO4, SiO2@CaWO4:Eu3+/Tb3+, core-shell structured particles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL), low-voltage cathodoluminescence (CL), time-resolved PL spectra and lifetimes were used to characterize the core-shell structured materials. Both XRD and FT-IR indicate that CaWO4 layers have been successfully coated on the SiO2 particles, which can be further verified by the FESEM and TEM images. The PL and CL demonstrate that the SiO2@CaWO4 sample exhibits blue emission band WO42- with a maximum at 420 nm (lifetime = 12.8 mu s) originated from the 4 groups, while SiO2@CaWO4:Eu3+ and SiO2@CaWO4:Tb3+ show additional red emission dominated by 614 nm (Eu3+:D-5(0)-F-7(2) transition, lifetime = 1.04 ms) and green emission at 544 nm (Tb3+:D-5(4)-F-7(5) transition, lifetime = 1.38 ms), respectively.

Sol-gel synthesis and photoluminescence properties of spherical SiO2@LaPO4 : Ce3+/Tb3+ particles with a core-shell structure

LaPO4: Ce3+ and LaPO4: Ce3+, Tb3+ phosphor layers have been deposited successfully on monodispersed and spherical SiO2 particles of different sizes ( 300, 500, 900 and 1200 nm) through a sol - gel process, resulting in the formation of core - shell structured SiO2@ LaPO4: Ce3+/ Tb3+ particles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microcopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and general and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectra as well as lifetimes were used to characterize the resulting SiO2@ LaPO4: Ce3+/ Tb3+ samples. The XRD results demonstrate that the LaPO4: Ce3+, Tb3+ layers begin to crystallize on the SiO2 templates after annealing at 700 degrees C, and the crystallinity increases on raising the annealing temperature. The obtained core - shell phosphors have perfectly spherical shape with a narrow size distribution, non-agglomeration, and a smooth surface. The doped rare-earth ions show their characteristic emission in the core - shell phosphors, i.e. Ce3+ 5d - 4f and Tb3+5D4 - F-7(J) (J = 6 - 3) transitions, respectively. The PL intensity of the Tb3+ increased on increasing the annealing temperature and the SiO2 core particle size.

Silica supported submicron SiO2@Y2SiO5 : Eu3+ and SiO2@Y2SiO5 : Ce3+/Tb3+ spherical particles with a core-shell structure: Sol-gel synthesis and characterization

X-1-y(2)SiO(5):Eu3+ and X-1-Y2SiO5:Ce3+ and/or Tb3+ phosphor layers have been coated on nonaggregated, monodisperse, submicron spherical SiO2 particles by a sol-gel process, followed by surface reaction at high temperature (1000 degrees C), to give core/shell structured SiO2@Y2SiO5:Eu3+ and SiO2@Y2SiO5:Ce3+/Tb3+ particles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), TEM, photoluminescence (PL), low voltage cathodoluminescence (CL), and time-resolved PL spectra and lifetimes are used to characterize these materials. The XRD results indicate that X-1-Y2SiO5 layers have been successfully coated on the sur- face Of SiO2 particles, as further verified by the FESEM and TEM images. The PL and CL studies suggest that SiO2@Y2SiO5:Eu3+, SiO2@Y2SiO5:Tb3+ (or Ce3+/Tb3+), and SiO2@Y2SiO5:Ce3+ core/shell particles exhibit red (Eu3+, 613 rim: D-5(0)-F-7(2)), green (Tb3+, 542nm: D-5(4)-F-7(5)), or blue (Ce3+, 450nm: 5d-4f) luminescence, respectively. Pl, excitation, emission, and time-resolved spectra demonstrate that there is an energy transfer from Ce3+ to Tb3+ in the SiO2@Y2SiO5:Ce3+,Tb3+ core/shell particles.

Sol-gel synthesis and photoluminescent properties of LaPO4 : A (A = Eu3+, Ce3+, Tb3+) nanocrystalline thin films

Rare-earth ion (Eu3+, Tb3+, Ce3+)- doped LaPO4 nanocrystalline thin films and their patterning were fabricated by a Pechini sol-gel process combined with soft lithography on silicon and silica glass substrates. X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microcopy (SEM), optical microscopy, absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra as well as lifetimes were used to characterize the resulting films. The results of XRD indicate that the films begin to crystallize at 700 degreesC and the crystallinity increases with increasing annealing temperature. The morphology of the thin film depends on the annealing temperature and the number of coating layers. The 1000 degreesC annealed single layer film is transparent to the naked eye, uniform and crack-free with a thickness of about 200 nm and an average grain size of 100 nm. Patterned thin films with different strip widths ( 5 - 50 mm) were obtained by micromolding in capillaries ( soft lithography). The doped rare earth ions show their characteristic emission in the nanocrystalline LaPO4 films, i.e., Eu3+ D-5(0)-F-7(J) (J = 1, 2, 3, 4), Tb3+ D-5(3,4) - F-7(J) ( J = 6, 5, 4, 3, 2) and Ce3+ 5d-4f transition emissions, respectively. Both the lifetimes and the PL intensities of Eu3+ and Tb3+ increase with increasing annealing temperature, and the optimum concentrations for them were determined to be 5 mol% and 16 mol% of La3+ in LaPO4 thin films, respectively. An energy transfer phenomenon from Ce3+ to Tb3+ has been observed in LaPO4 nanocrystalline thin films, and the energy transfer efficiency depends on the doping concentration of Tb3+ if the concentration of Ce3+ is fixed.

Citrate-gel synthesis and luminescent properties of ZnGa2O4 doped with Mn2+ and EU3+

By using inorganic salts as raw materials and citric acid as complexing agent, spinel oxide ZnGa2O4 and Mn2+, Eu3+-doped ZnGa2O4 phosphor powders were prepared by a citrate-gel process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), TG-DTA, FT-IR. and luminescence excitation and emission spectra were used to characterize the resulting products. The results of XRD reveal that the powders begin to crystallize at 500 degreesC and pure ZnGa2O4 phase is obtained at 700 degreesC, which agrees well with the results of TG-DTA and FT-IR. In the crystalline ZnGa2O4, the Eu shows its characteristic red (615 nm, D-5(0)-F-7(2)) emission with a quenching concentration of 5 mol% (of Ga3+), and the Mn shows green emission (505 nm, T, A,) with a quenching concentration of 0.1 mol% (of Zn2+). The luminescence mechanism of ZnGa2O4:Mn2+/Eu3+ is presented.

Sol-gel synthesis and properties of Ce1-xGdxO2-x/2 solid solutions

A series of solid electrolytes Ce1-xGdxO2-x/2(x=0 similar to0.6) was prepared by sol-gel method. The structure, thermal expansion coefficient and electrical properties of the solid solutions were systematically studied. XRD data showed that a complete cubic fluorite structure was formed at 160 degreesC. The purity of the product prepared by the sol-gel method is higher, the grain size is uniformly smaller. They were easily sintered into highly dense ceramic pellets at 1 300 degreesC. The sintering temperature was significantly lower than that by traditionally high temperature solid phase reaction method. The thermal expansion coefficient of Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9, determined from high- temperature XRD data, is 8. 125 X 10(-6) K-1. Impedance spectra analyses showed that the grain-boundary resistance of the solid electrolyte prepared by sol-gel method was reduced or even eliminated. The conductivity of Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9 is 5.26 X 10(-3) S/cm at 600 degreesC. The activation energy (E-a) is 0.82 eV.

Sol-gel synthesis and electrical properties of ceria-based solid electrolytes

A series of solid electrolytes (Ce0.8RE0.2)(1-x)MxO2-delta(RE: Rare earth, M: Alkali earth) were prepared by sol-gel methods. XRD indicated that a pure fluorite phase was formed at 800 degrees C. The synthesis temperature by the sol-gel methods was about 700 degrees C lower than by the traditional ceramic method. The electrical conductivity and impedance spectra were measured. XPS showed that the oxygen vacancy increased obviously by doping MO, thus, resulting in the increase of the oxygen ionic transport number and conductivity. The performance of ceria-based solid electrolyte was improved. The effects of RE2O3 and MO on the electrical properties were discussed. The conductivity and the oxygen ionic transport number of (Ce0.8Sm0.2)(1-0.05)Ca0.05O2-delta is 0.126 S.cm(-1) and 0.99 at 800 degrees C, respectively.

Sol-gel synthesis and luminescence of Y4Al2O9:RE3+(RE=Eu, Tb)

Y4Al2O9 (YAM) was prepared by a sol-gel process, using yttrium and aluminum citrate complexes as precursors. The sol-gel process produced single-phase YAM at 900 degrees C, as opposed to the conventional solid-state reaction, which led to the formation of other phases, even if at 1600 degrees C. The emission and excitation spectra of Eu3+ and Tb3+ in YAM showed the existence of two luminescence centers, agreeing with the crystal structure of YAM. The spectral properties of the samples are discussed.