Effect of manganese content on the yellow luminescence properties of zinc silicate nanoparticles enriched silica matrix

Abstract

Nanophosphors β–Zn2SiO4:Mn enriched silica have been synthesized by sol–gel technique with various manganese percentages from 5 to 20 at%. The structures and morphological properties of these nanocomposites have been examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The photoluminescence (PL) of β–Zn2SiO4:Mn nanophosphors was studied as a function of Mn2+ content and the outcomes uncovered that these materials present an intensive yellow emission (576–584 nm) generated by 4T1(4G) to 6A1(6S) inside transition. The luminescence intensity decreases linearly with the measurement temperature and presents a red shift with Mn content. Then again, under 337.1 nm excitation, the luminescence time decay decreases with the Mn loading from 13 ms for 5 at% to 0.6 ms for 20 at%. The linear decrease behaviours of the PL intensity with the measurement temperature, and also of the time decay with the Mn loading; make it conceivable to predict the use of this material in luminescence thermometry. In addition, the samples exhibit good stability over time as the synthesis is in-situ and the nanoparticles are protected from the outside by the silica matrix. The luminance persists even after a few years.