Development of mechanoluminescence technique for impact studies

A new technique called, mechanoluminescence technique, is developed for measuring the parameters of impact. This technique is based on the phenomenon of mechanoluminescence (ML), in which light emission takes place during any mechanical action on solids. When a small solid ball makes an impact on the mechanoluminescent thin film coated on a solid, then initially the elastico ML (EML) intensity increases with time, attains a maximum value I_m at a particular time t_m, and later on it decreases with time. The contact time T_c of ball, can be determined from the relation T_c=2t_c, where t_c is the time at which the EML emission due to compression of the sample becomes negligible. The area from where the EML emission occurs can be taken as the contact area A_c. The maximum compression h is given by h=A_c/(πr), where r is the radius of the impacting ball, and thus, h can be determined from the known values of A_c and r. The maximum force at contact is given by F_m=(2mU₀)/T_c, where m is the mass of the impacting ball and U₀ is the velocity of the ball at impact. The maximum impact stress σ_m can be obtained from the relation, σ_m=F_m/A_c=(2mU₀)/(T_cA_c). Thus, ML provides a real-time technique for determining the impact parameters such as T_c, A_c, h, F_m and σ_m. Using the ML technique, the impact parameters of the SrAl₂O₄:Eu film and ZnS:Mn coating are determined. The ML technique can be used to determine the impact parameters in the elastic region and plastic region as well as fracture. ML can also be used to determine the impact parameters for the collision between solid and liquid, if the mechanoluminescent material is coated on the surface of the solid. The measurement of fracto ML in microsecond and nanosecond range may provide a tool for studying the fragmentations in solids by the impact. Using the fast camera the contact area and the depth of compression can be determined for different intervals of time.     

Synthesis and luminescence properties of red-emitting phosphors NaY0.87Eu0.13(WO4)1.2(MoO4)0.8

A series of NaY_1−yEu_y(WO₄)_2−x(MoO₄)_x (x=0−2 and y=0.06−0.15) phosphors have been prepared by a combustion route. X-ray powder diffraction, photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra were used to characterize the resulting samples. The excitation spectra of these phosphors show the strongest absorption at about 396 nm, which matches well with the commercially available n-UV-emitting GaN-based LED chip. Their emission spectra show an intense red emission at 616 nm due to the ⁵D₀→⁷F₂ electric dipole transition of Eu³⁺. As the Mo content increases, the intensity of the ⁵D₀→⁷F₂ emission of Eu³⁺ activated at wavelength of 396 nm increases and reaches a maximum when the relative ratio of Mo/W is 2:3. The intense red-emission of the tungstomolybdate phosphors at near-UV excitation suggests that the material is a potential candidate for white light emitting diode (WLEDs).     

Relaxation kinetics of Sm: Ce-doped CaS phosphors

Different samples of calcium sulphide (CaS):CaS(Sm) and CaS(Sm,Ce) phosphors have been prepared. To study the phosphorescence decay systematically, the samples were excited to a saturation using 259 nm line of xenon lamp and phosphorescence emission was monitored for a wavelength 569 nm of samarium. The trap depth has been evaluated by analyzing the decay curves. The observed decay could be explained satisfactorily by assuming a superposition scheme. The thermoluminescence properties of the doped CaS phosphors are also investigated in detail by computerized deconvolution technique of the glow curves obtained by UV irradiation.     

Synthesis of nano-size BaMgAl10O17:Eu blue phosphor by a rapid exothermic reaction

Ultrafine particles of BaMgAl₁₀O₁₇:Eu²⁺ (BAM) phosphor were synthesized by a solid-state combustion reaction in a powder bed of 0.9BaCO₃+MgO+5Al₂O₃+0.05Eu₂O₃+k(KClO₃+1.5C) composition. A large exothermic reaction of the mixture (KClO₃+1.5C) leads to a self-sustaining combustion mode. Under optimized combustion conditions, the product consisted of BAM powder and KCl was obtained. BAM ultrafine particles resulting from the combustion process were easily obtained by simply washing the salt by-product with water. Combustion-processed BAM phosphor shows a homogeneous grain size of 100-500 nm, good dispersity, regular morphology, and improved luminescence properties.     

New promising phosphors Ba3InB9O18 activated by Eu/Tb

Borate Ba₃InB₉O₁₈ (BIBO) has been adopted as a host material for phosphors for the first time. Lanthanide ions (Eu³⁺/Tb³⁺)-doped BIBO phosphors have been synthesized by solid-state reaction and luminescent properties investigated under ultravoilet (UV) excitation. For red phosphor BIBO:Eu, dominant emission peaking at 590 nm was attributed to ⁵D₀→⁷F₁ transition of Eu³⁺, which confirmed that the local site of Eu³⁺ occupied by In³⁺ ion in BIBO crystal lattice is at inversion symmetry center. Optimum Eu³⁺ concentration of BIBO:Eu under UV excitation with 227 nm wavelength is around 40%. The green phosphor BIBO:Tb showed bright green emission at 550 with 232 nm light excited and optimal of Tb³⁺ concentration measured in BIBO is about 8%. The corresponding luminescence mechanisms of Ln-doped BIBO (Ln=Eu³⁺/Tb³⁺) were analyzed. The luminescent intensity of Tb³⁺ can be significantly improved by co-doping of Bi³⁺ in the BIBO:Tb lattice. The likely reason was proposed in terms of the different interactions of the host lattice with these ions, and of these ions with each other.     

Defect centres and thermoluminescence in SrS:Bi phosphor

Thermoluminescence (TL) and electron spin resonance studies have been carried out on SrS:Bi phosphor. The TL glow curve is broad and indicates a dominant peak at 120 ^°C with two additional peaks, not clearly resolved, appearing as shoulders at around 180 and 250 ^°C. Two defect centres are observed at room temperature. One of them is characterized by an isotropic g-value 2.0034 and is assigned to an F⁺ centre. Step annealing measurements indicate a possible association between the F⁺ centre and the three TL peaks.     

Thermoluminescence characteristics of rare-earth-doped LiCaBO3 phosphor

LiCaBO₃ was synthesized by high-temperature solid-state reaction. The influence of different rare earth dopants, i.e. Dy³⁺, Tb³⁺, Tm³⁺ and Ce³⁺, on thermoluminescence (TL) of LiCaBO₃ phosphor was discussed. We studied the TL properties and some dosimetric characteristics of Ce³⁺-activated LiCaBO₃ phosphor in detail. The effect of the concentration of Ce³⁺ on TL was investigated, the result of which showed that the optimum Ce³⁺ concentration was 1 mol%. The TL kinetic parameters of LiCaBO₃:0.01Ce³⁺ were studied by computer glow curve deconvolution (CGCD) method. The three-dimensional (3D) TL emission spectra were also studied, peaking at 431 and 474 nm due to the characteristic transition of Ce³⁺. We also studied the linearity, annealing condition, reproducibility, fading and different heating rate of the LiCaBO₃:0.01Ce³⁺ phosphor.     

Facile room-temperature coprecipitation of uniform barium chlorapatite nanoassemblies as a host photoluminescent material

As an emerging host phosphor material, barium chlorapatite (Ba₅(PO₄)₃Cl), is attracting growing attention. However, rare earth-doped Ba₅(PO₄)₃Cl phosphors have mainly been obtained via high temperature-based, energy-consuming techniques. In this contribution, we developed a straightforward, facile room-temperature coprecipitation method in the presence of a specific amount of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt that provided Ba₅(PO₄)₃Cl nanoparticles self-assembled to construct uniform Ba₅(PO₄)₃Cl nanoassemblies (diameter: 80–120 nm) as well as rare earth Tb³⁺-doped Ba₅(PO₄)₃Cl:xTb³⁺ nanophosphors. The nanoassemblies were transparent within the ultraviolet and visible spectral range. The Ba₅(PO₄)₃Cl:xTb³⁺ nanophosphors exhibited four emission peaks under 228-nm excitation, and the optimal doping amount of Tb³⁺ was 4.0%. In contrast to traditional energy-consuming, high-temperature techniques, the facile room-temperature coprecipitation method developed here represents an attractive alternative route to obtain uniform Ba₅(PO₄)₃Cl nanoassemblies and Ba₅(PO₄)₃Cl:xTb³⁺ nanophosphors that are candidate luminescent hosts.     

Synthesis and characterization of BaAl2O4:Eu co-doped with different rare earth ions

Combustion method was used in this study to prepare BaAl₂O₄:Eu²⁺ phosphors co-doped with different trivalent rare-earths (Re³⁺=Dy³⁺, Nd³⁺, Gd³⁺, Sm³⁺, Ce³⁺, Er³⁺, Pr³⁺ and Tb³⁺) ions at an initiating temperature of 600 °C. The phosphors were annealed at 1000 °C for 3 h. As confirmed from the X-ray diffraction (XRD) data, both as prepared and post annealed samples crystallized in the well known hexagonal structure of BaAl₂O₄. All samples exhibited bluish-green emission associated with the 4f⁶5d¹→4f⁷ transitions of Eu²⁺ at ∼500 nm. Although the highest intensity was observed from Er³⁺ co-doping, the longest afterglow (due to trapping and detrapping of charge carriers) was observed from Nd³⁺ followed by Dy³⁺ co-doping. The traps responsible for the long afterglow were studied using thermoluminescence (TL) spectroscopy.     

SiN掺杂提高BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+荧光粉光学性能的第一性原理研究

使用基于密度泛函理论的CASTEP软件计算了BAM:Eu²⁺(BaMgAl₁₀O₁₇:Eu²⁺)荧光粉在SiN掺杂前后的能带、态密度、吸收光谱和Mulliken布居．Eu²⁺处于BR位置光吸收更强;SiN掺杂使处于BR位置的Eu²⁺的数量上升,而处于mO位置的Eu²⁺的数量下降,抵消了SiN掺杂降低Eu的态密度对光谱的影响．所以适量掺杂的SiN提高了BAM:Eu²⁺荧光粉的吸收发射光谱强度．Si-N键和Eu-N键的Mulliken布居数分别高于Al-O键和Eu-O键, 说明Si-N键和Eu-N键的共价性分别强于Al-O键和Eu-O键．发光中心Eu²⁺局域结构共价性的增强降低了BAM:Eu²⁺镜面层的活性,这是SiN掺杂提高BAM:Eu²⁺+荧光粉光学稳定性的主要原因．