Fabrication and luminescence properties of Y2SiWO8 : Dy3+ phosphors via sol-gel process

(YSiWO8)-Si-2:Dy3+ phosphors were prepared through a sol-gel process. XRD and photoluminespectra were used to characterize the resulting phosphors. The results indicated that the phosphors crystallized completely at 1000 degrees C. In Y2SiWO8:Dy3+ phosphors, the Dy3+ showed its characteristic yellow emission at 483nm (F-4(9/2)-H-6(5/2)) and 575nm (F-4(9/2)-H-6(13/2)) upon excitation into 275nm.

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.

Luminescent properties of rare-earth-doped CaWO4 phosphor films prepared by the Pechini sol-gel process

CaWO4 phosphor films doped with rare-earth ions (Eu3+, Dy-,(3+) Sm3+, Er3+) were prepared by the Pechini sol-gel process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis, atomic force microscopy, and photoluminescence spectra, as well as lifetimes, were used to characterize the resulting powders and films. The results of the XRD analysis indicated that the films began to crystallize at 400degreesC and that the crystallinity increased with elevation of the annealing temperature. The doped rare-earth ions showed their characteristic emissions in crystalline CaWO4 phosphor films due to energy transfer from WO42- groups to them. Both the lifetimes and PL intensities of the doped rare-earth ions increased with increasing annealing temperature, from 500 to 900degreesC, and the optimum concentrations for Eu3+, Dy3+, Sm3+, Er3+ were determined as 30, 1.5, 1.5, 0.5 at.% of Ca2+ in CaWO4 films annealed at 900degreesC, respectively.

Luminescence properties of RP1-xVxO4: A (R=Y, Gd, La; A=Sm3+Er3+ x=0, 0.5, 1) thin films prepared by pechini sol-gel process

Thin film phosphors with compositions of RP1-xVxO4: A (R = Y, Gd, La; A = Sm3+, Et3+; x = 0, 0.5, 1) have been prepared by a Pechini sol-gel process. X-Ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy (AFM), photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra were utilized to characterize the thin film phosphors. The results of XRD showed that a solid solution formed in YVxP1-xO4: A film series from x = 0 to x = 1 with zircon structure, which also held for GdVO4: A film. However, LaVO4: A film crystallized with a different structure, monazite. AFM study revealed that the phosphor films consisted of homogeneous particles ranging from 90 to 400 nm depending on the compositions. Upon short ultraviolet excitation, the films exhibit the characteristic Sm(3+ 4)G(5/2)-H-6(J) (J=5/2, 7/2, 9/2) emission in the red region and Er3+ H-2(11/2), S-4(3/2)-I-4(15/2) emission in the green region, respectively With the increase of x values in YVxP1-xO4: SM3+ (Er3+) films, the emission intensity Of SM3+ (Er3+) increases due to the increase of energy transfer probability from VO43- to Sm3+ (Er3+). Due to the structural effects, the Sm3+ (Er3+) shows similar spectral properties in YVO4 and GdVO4 films, which are much different from those in LaVO4 film.

Sol-gel-derived titanium oxide/copolymer composite based glucose biosensor

A new type of sol-gel-derived titanium oxide/copolymer composite material was developed and used for the construction of glucose biosensor. The composite material merged the best properties of the inorganic species, titanium oxide and the organic copolymer, poly(vinyl alcohol) grafting 4-vinylpyridine (PVA-g-PVP). The glucose oxidase entrapped in the composite matrix retained its bioactivity. Morphologies of the composite-modified electrode and the enzyme electrode were characterized with a scanning electron microscope. The dependence of the current responses on enzyme-loading and pH was studied. The response time of the biosensor was < 20 s and the linear range was up to 9 mM with a sensitivity of 405 nA/mM. The biosensor was stable for at least I month. In addition, the tetrathiafulvalene-mediated enzyme electrode was constructed for the decrease of detection potential and the effect of three common physiological sources that might interfere was also investigated.

Co-immobilized microbial biosensor for BOD estimation based on sol-gel derived composite material

A novel type of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) biosensor was developed for water monitor, based on co-immobilizing of Trichosporon cutaneum and Bacillus subtilis in the sol-gel derived composite material which is composed of silica and the grafting copolymer of poly (vinyl alcohol) and 4-vinylpyridine (PVA-g-P(4-VP)). Factors that influence the performance of the resulting biosensor were examined. The biodegradable substrate spectrum could be expanded by the co-immobilized microorganisms. The biosensor prepared also exhibited good reproducibility and long-term stability. Good agreement was obtained between the results of the sensor BOD measurement and those obtained from conventional BOD5 method for water samples.

Organically modified sol-gel/chitosan composite based glucose biosensor

A new type of organically modified sol-gel/chitosan composite material was developed and used for the construction of glucose biosensor. This material provided good biocompatibility and the stabilizing microenvironment around the enzyme. Ferrocene was immobilized on the surface of glassy carbon electrode as a mediator. The characteristics of the biosensor were studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The effects of enzyme-loading, buffer pH, applied potential and several interferences on the response of the enzyme electrode were investigated. The simple and low-cost glucose biosensor exhibited high sensitivity and good stability.

Evaluation of a sol-gel derived carbon composite electrode as an amperometric detector for capillary electrophoresis

In this paper, we report the construction and application of a sol-gel derived carbon composite electrode (CCE) as an amperometric detector for capillary electrophoresis. The electrochemical properties were characterized and compared with those of conventional carbon fiber and carbon paste electrode (CPE). Experimental results show that peak-to-peak noise of CCE was about 20% of CPE and electrode capacitance was comparatively low. When applied to the detection of dopamine and epinephrine, the optimal detection potential for CCE was 0.1 V lower than CPE under the same separation conditions; CCE with diameter of 75 and 100 mum could achieve a low detection limit of 3.10(-8) and 6.10(-8) M for the detection of epinephrine, which approaching that of the 33-mum diameter carbon fiber electrode. Also, the linearity for epinephrine at CCE was more than two orders of magnitude, which was slightly wider than that of carbon fiber electrode. Applications to real sample analysis were tested by the determination of betahistine dihydrochloride in tablets and human urine. Using CCE with diameter less than or equal to100 mum as an amperometric detector after capillary electrophoresis separation, a low detection limit and a wide linear range combined with excellent reproducibility were obtained. This CCE possesses of many advantages, namely, convenience, ease of fabrication, low cost and high stability.

Mechanism of phase transformation and formation of barium hexaferrite doped with rare-earths in sol-gel process

The phase-transformation in sol-gel preparation of barium hexaferrite and the formation of barium hexaferrite doped with La3+ Were studied by chemical phase analysis, X-ray diffraction and infrared spectrometry analysis. The experimental results show that phase transformation reactions of FeCO3, Fe2O3 and BaFe2O4, barium hexaferrite and gamma-Fe2O3 take place in the heat treatment of gel. While the doping lanthanide ion replace barium ion, an equivalent quantity of Fe3+ are reduced to Fe2+ to maintain the charge equilibrium.

Preparation and luminescence properties of ormosil hybrid materials doped with Tb(Tfacac)(3)phen complex via a sol-gel process

In this paper, silica-based transparent organic-inorganic hybrid materials were prepared via the sol-gel process. Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) were used as the inorganic and organic precursors, respectively. The terbium complex, Tb(Tfacac)(3)phen (Tfacac = 1,1,1-trifluoroacetylacetone, phen = 1, 10-phenanthroline) was successfully doped into organically modified silicate (ormosil) matrix derived from TEOS and GPTMS, and the luminescent properties of the resultant ormosil composite phosphors [ormosil/Th(Tfacac)(3)phen] were investigated compared with those of the Tb(Tfacac)(3)phen incorporated into SiO2 derived from TEOS (labeled as silica/Tb(Tfacac)(3)phen). Both kinds of the materials show the characteristic green emission of Tb3+ ion. The luminescence behavior of the resultant composite products was dependent on the matrix composition. The optimized lanthanide complex concentration in the ormosil/Tb(Tfacac)(3)phen was increased compared with in silica/Tb(Tfacac)(3)phen. Furthermore, the lifetime of Tb3+ in Tb(Tfacac)(3)phen, silica/Tb(Tfacac)(3)phen and ormosil/Tb(Tfacac)(3)phen follows the sequence: onmosil/Tb(Tfacac)(3)phen>silica/Tb(Tfacac)(3)phen>pure Tb(Tfacac)(3)phen.

Luminescent thin film of doped terbium complex obtained by sol-gel method

The transparent luminescent thin films of doped terbium complex were obtained by sol-gel method. The result indicates that rare earth carboxylates with poor solubility can be homogeneously doped into sol matrix in situ. The fluorescence spectra show that the thin film material emits the characteristic narrow band emission of Tb3+ under the UV excitation.

Sol-gel derived iridium composite glucose biosensor

Iridium powder is introduced into sol-gel process for the first time to fabricate a novel type of sol-gel derived metal composite electrode. The iridium ceramic electrode shows excellent electrocatalytic action for both oxidation and reduction of hydrogen peroxide. The glucose biosensor based on sol-gel derived iridium composite electrode was fabricated. The biosensor shows highly selectivity towards glucose because of the strong catalytic action of iridium composite matrix for enzyme-liberated hydrogen peroxide at low operating potential, at which common interferences cannot be sensed. The novel type of biosensor can be renewed by simply mechanical polishing with favorable reproducibility and long-term stability.