Molten Salt Synthesis, Characterization and Luminescence Properties of BaAl1.4Si0.6O3.4N0.6:Eu2+ Green Phosphors

Green emitting BaAl1.4Si0.6O3.4N0.6:Eu2+ phosphors with a uniform sphere-like morphology were successfully prepared via molten salt synthesis (MSS) method using NaNO3 as the reaction medium. The obtained phosphors exhibited a broad excitation spectrum ranging from 250 to 460 nm and a strong green emission peak at 510 nm due to the 4f(6)5d(1)-4f(7) (S-8(7/2)) transition of Eu2+ ions. Under excitation at 365 and 450 nm, the optimal emission intensities of the sample obtained by using molten salt are 17% and 13% higher than those of the sample prepared via conventional solid state (SSR) method, respectively. The quenching concentration of Eu2+ ions is 5 mol%, and dipole-dipole interaction is responsible for the concentration quenching of Eu2+ ions in this type of phosphor. The mechanism of thermal quenching is discussed by using the configuration coordinate model and thermal quenching temperature is similar to 200 degrees C. Elemental mapping and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) spectra proved the formation of the desired BaAl1.4Si0.6O3.4N0.6:Eu2+ materials. (c) 2017 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.