Optical and structural properties of composites films based on Ce3+-doped yttrium aluminium garnet nanoparticles embedded in polystyrene

In the present work, attempts have been made to prepare scintillating nanoparticle composite films of Ce3+-doped Y3Al5O12 (YAG:Ce) embedded in a polystyrene (PS) polymer. A YAG:Ce phosphor has been previously synthesized using the sol-gel method. YAG:Ce-PS composite films of 250 +/- 30 mu m thickness were prepared using a solvent casting procedure with different PS/solvent concentration and a different mass ratio between nanoparticles of YAG:Ce and PS. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the YAG:Ce powders were successfully prepared. Using thermogravimetric analyses and differential scanning calorimetry, we found that the glass transition temperature (Tg) and thermal degradation were shifted to higher temperatures for composite films relative to pure PS. Photoluminescence showed the yellow emission of the Ce3+-doped YAG phosphors, which was attributed to the 5d -> 4f transition of Ce3+ ion and the intensity of the emissions changed with the mass ratio of the YAG:Ce nanoparticles incorporated in the polymer and with the concentration of the polymer solution.

Automated summary

In this study, scintillating nanoparticle composite films of Ce3+-doped Y3Al5O12 (YAG:Ce) embedded in a polystyrene (PS) polymer were successfully prepared. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the successful synthesis of YAG:Ce powders. The composite films exhibited higher glass transition temperature and thermal degradation temperature compared to pure PS. Photoluminescence measurements showed that the emission characteristics of Ce3+-doped YAG phosphors varied with the mass ratio of YAG:Ce nanoparticles and the concentration of the polymer solution.