Effect of surface modification on photoluminescence properties of Y 3Al 5O 12:Ce 3+, Gd 3+nano-phosphors

Abstract

In this study, a series of Y 3Al 5O 12:Ce 3+, Gd 3+ nano-phosphors were prepared using a simply wet chemical process with polyvinyl pyrrolidone as a modifier. The crystal and bonding structures of Y 3Al 5O 12:Ce 3+, Gd 3+ nano-phosphors prepared with different weight percentages of polyvinyl pyrrolidone were characterized by X-ray diffractometry and infrared spectrometry. The decomposition process of dried precursor gel with adding 1.37 wt% polyvinyl pyrrolidone was investigated by differential thermal and thermogravimetric analysis. The effect of surface modification on photoluminescence properties for the samples was studied. The results show that the steric hindrance effect of polyvinyl pyrrolidone leads to high dispersion and good crystallinity of Y 3Al 5O 12:Ce 3+, Gd 3+ nano-phosphors prepared with adding a proper weight percentages of polyvinyl pyrrolidone. Adding polyvinyl pyrrolidone is beneficial for the photoluminescence enhancement of the samples, which is attributed to the promotion of the incorporation of Ce 3+ and Gd 3+ into the Y 3Al 5O 12 nanocrystal and the surface passivation of the nano-particles by the polyvinyl pyrrolidone molecules.