Preparation and photoluminescence properties of Mn-activated M2Si5N8 (M=Ca, Sr, Ba) phosphors

Mn²⁺-doped M₂Si₅N₈ (M=Ca, Sr, Ba) phosphors have been prepared by a solid-state reaction method at high temperature and their photoluminescence properties were investigated. The Mn²⁺-activated M₂Si₅N₈ phosphors exhibit narrow emission bands in the wavelength range of 500-700 nm with peak center at about 599, 606 and 567 nm for M=Ca, Sr, Ba, respectively, due to the ⁴T₁(⁴G)→⁶A₁(⁶S) transition of Mn²⁺. The long-wavelength emission of Mn²⁺ ion in the host of M₂Si₅N₈ is attributed to the effect of a strong crystal-field of Mn²⁺ in the nitrogen coordination environment. Also it is observed that there exists energy transfer between M₂Si₅N₈ host lattice and activator (Mn²⁺). The potential applications of these phosphors have been pointed out.     

The Covalent Functionalization of Layered Black Phosphorus by Nucleophilic Reagents

Layered black phosphorus has been attracting great attention due to its interesting material properties which lead to a plethora of proposed applications. Several approaches are demonstrated here for covalent chemical modifications of layered black phosphorus in order to form P−C and P‐O‐C bonds. Nucleophilic reagents are highly effective for chemical modification of black phosphorus. Further derivatization approaches investigated were based on radical reactions. These reagents are not as effective as nucleophilic reagents for the surface covalent modification of black phosphorus. The influence of covalent modification on the electronic structure of black phosphorus was investigated using ab initio calculations. Covalent modification exerts a strong effect on the electronic structure including the change of band‐gap width and spin polarization.     

Water‐Catalyzed Oxidation of Few‐Layer Black Phosphorous in a Dark Environment

Black phosphorus (BP) shows great potential in electronic and optoelectronic devices owing to its semiconducting properties, such as thickness‐dependent direct bandgap and ambipolar transport characteristics. However, the poor stability of BP in air seriously limits its practical applications. To develop effective schemes to protect BP, it is crucial to reveal the degradation mechanism under various environments. To date, it is generally accepted that BP degrades in air via light‐induced oxidation. Herein, we report a new degradation channel via water‐catalyzed oxidation of BP in the dark. When oxygen co‐adsorbs with highly polarized water molecules on BP surface, the polarization effect of water can significantly lower the energy levels of oxygen (i.e. enhanced electron affinity), thereby facilitating the electron transfer from BP to oxygen to trigger the BP oxidation even in the dark environment. This new degradation mechanism lays important foundation for the development of proper protecting schemes in black phosphorus‐based devices.