Achieving a thermally stable Eu2+-doped Sr2Si5N8 phosphor via adjusting the lattice defects of oxygen atoms and protection by the graphene-like multilayer

Abstract

Sr2Si5N8:Eu2+ (258) phosphor has attracted much attention due to its excellent red emission properties. However, its poor thermal stability hinders its further development in electronic display devices. Therefore, it is important to solve this problem in order to produce stable and long life-time WLED devices. In this work, a 258 phosphor was synthesized by a simple solid-phase reaction method, which was then coated by an ultrathin carbon layer by chemical vapor deposition. The carbon-coated powders were further annealed in N2 atmosphere at a high temperature to trigger the carbothermal reaction. On the one hand, the carbothermal reaction resulted in the removal of oxygen in the phosphor particle by a part of the carbon on the surface, which reduced the oxidation of both the luminescent centers and the host lattice. On the other hand, the remaining carbon crystallized, forming a graphene-like multilayer that protected the phosphor particle from the penetration of the external oxygen. This eventually resulted in a significant improvement of the thermal stability and oxidation resistance of the phosphor.