Photoluminescence and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution properties of orange-red emitting AlN:Sm3+

Abstract

Sm3+ ions doped orange-red emitting AlN phosphors were successfully fabricated by a simple solid-state route at 880 °C. The phase analysis and crystal structure, symmetry, morphology, band gap width, elements analysis and photoluminescence properties are investigated detailly. The symmetry of the local environment for Sm3+ depends on the doping concentration of Sm3+ ions in AlN matrix. All the phosphors can exhibit orange-red emission by virtue of the 4G5/2 → 6H7/2 transition of Sm3+ ions. And all the phosphors display high color purity and low correlated color temperature. The best doping concentration of Sm3+ in AlN matrix is 1.0% mole fraction. Furthermore, in contrast to undoped AlN, AlN:xSm3+ semiconductors show excellent photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity, and the maximum rate of H2 evolution from water splitting is 98 μmol h−1 g−1 when the doping concentration of Sm3+ is 1.3% mole fraction. The study signifys bifunctional AlN:xSm3+ with luminescence and photocatalytic properties may be anticipated to apply in both white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from water splitting.