Self-reducing induced Eu2+/Eu3+ dual-emitting glasses for anti-counterfeiting and optical thermometry

Abstract

Eu3+/Eu2+ co-doped glasses possess extensive application potential in diverse fields, including light-emitting diodes and sensors, due to their distinctive luminescent characteristics. To date, numerous strategies have been devised to facilitate the coexistence of Eu3+ and Eu2+ in materials. Among them, adjusting the composition of the glass matrix stands out as a straightforward and reproducible approach. Herein, a series of Eu2+/Eu3+ co-doped borosilicate aluminate glasses were successfully synthesized via a high-temperature melting method. By elevating the ratios of B2O3/MgO and Al2O3/BaO in the matrix, a remarkable self-reduction of Eu3+ in ambient air was achieved because of the structural weakness and lower optical basicity for the designed glass matrix. The reduction of Eu3+ is also related to the formation of EuZn• and VΖn′′ defects. Furthermore, by fine-tuning the melting duration and Eu content, we achieved comparable violet and red emission intensities for both Eu2+ and Eu3+ ions. Under UV irradiation with various wavelengths, anti-counterfeiting patterns fabricated from glass powder exhibited precise and pronounced color changes. Notably, the emission intensity ratio of Eu2+/Eu3+ exhibited a consistent decrease as temperature increased, enabling precise temperature determination with exceptional absolute sensitivity (1.22 % K−1) producibility, and discrimination. These findings hold significant implications for the design of Eu3+/Eu2+ co-doped inorganic multifunctional glasses.