Facile Sol Gel Research Articles

Mesoporous CeTiSiMCM-48 as novel photocatalyst for degradation of organic compounds

This work presents novel photocatalysts containing Ti and/or Ce embedded in the mesoporous silica framework (TiSiMCM-48, CeSiMCM-48 and CeTiSiMCM-48) that were prepared via a facile sol–gel process in the presence of ionic structure directing agents. The structural properties of the obtained materials were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption-desorption, scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), EDAX analysis, X-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS), ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS) and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The results indicated that Ce and Ti were highly dispersed or incorporated into the framework of the cubic SiMCM-48, with an enhanced light-trapping effect both in the UV and Vis regions. When applied to the photocatalytic degradation of phenol, the best results were obtained for the bimetallic hybrid. The best activity of CeTiSiMCM-48 photocatalyst was ascribed to improved electron–hole pair separation efficiency and formation of more reactive oxygen species due to the presence of Ce4+/Ce3+. The mesoporous support increases the dispersability of the photoactive Ti4+ or Ce4+/Ce3+ species on the catalyst surface and the accessibility of the substrate to the active sites. Furthermore, the catalysts can be easily recovered and reused for four cycles without significant loss of activity.

Transport properties of solution processed Cu2SnS3/AZnO heterostructure for low cost photovoltaics

Cu2SnS3 thin films were deposited by a facile sol–gel technique followed by annealing. The annealed films were structurally characterized by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The crystal structure was found to be tetragonal with crystallite sizes of 2.4–3nm. Texture coefficient calculations from the GIXRD revealed the preferential orientation of the film along the (112) plane. The morphological investigations of the films were carried out using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and the composition using electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The temperature dependent current, voltage characteristics of the Cu2SnS3/AZnO heterostructure were studied. The logI–logV plot exhibited three regions of different slopes showing linear ohmic behavior and non-linear behavior following the power law. The temperature dependent current voltage characteristics revealed the variation in ideality factor and barrier height with temperature. The Richardson constant was calculated and its deviation from the theoretical value revealed the inhomogeneity of the barrier heights. Transport characteristics were modeled using the thermionic emission model. The Gaussian distribution of barrier heights was applied and from the modified Richardson plot the value of the Richardson constant was found to be 47.18Acm−2K−2.

An Investigation of Na1-XLi2x MnyNizOd Compounds for High Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries

Lithium ion batteries (LIBs) are the current energy storage technology of choice for numerous applications ranging from portable electronics to transportation and grid energy storage. The demand for LIBs production is predicted to considerably increase in the near future. The rising price of lithium and geopolitical problems associated with the lithium extraction urge us to look for alternative energy storage technologies. Sodium ion batteries (SIBs) are an attractive choice due to the natural abundance and lower cost, as compared to lithium, of sodium. However, due to the higher atomic mass of Na as compared to Li, SIBs have a lower energy density than LIBs and therefore current research efforts are focused on the development of high performance, low-cost, easy to manufacture, safe and non-toxic SIBs. Compounds of the type P2-NaxMO2 are intensively investigated due to their suitability for Na-ion intercalation [1]. However, a drawback of these compounds is the de-stabilization during cycling attributed to layer-gliding and phase transformations (often seen as steps and kinks in GCPL curves) [2]. Recently, C.S Johnson et al. has proposed that introduction of Li-ions in compounds of the type P2-NaLix MnyNizOδ and Na1-xLix MnyNizO δ prvents layer-gliding during cycling, stabilizing the P2 phase (for the former compound) and therefore enabling an improved power and rate performance [2-4]. In the pristine compounds, the transition metals are in the Mn (4+) and Ni (2+) states (implying values of δ > 2.0, i.e oxygen rich materials) [3]. The authors confirmed that during cycling, only the Ni (+2) provides redox activity whereas the manganese remains inactive providing stability to the compounds [2]. In the case of P2-NaLix MnyNizO δ , Li was found to reside on both the alkali and the transition metal layer and the lack of layer gliding was attributed to the presence of a Li2MnO3-like phase where Li remained immobile [2]. In the case of Na1-xLix MnyNizO δ , the stability was attributed to the inter-growth of P2/O3 phases. We are intrigued by the complex nature of these compounds and the associated stabilizing mechanism during Na-ion insertion/de-insertion processes. We are interested on exploring alternative stoichiometries, particularly those that perhaps will allow stability to a higher upper cut-off voltages enabling a higher energy density while maintaining a high power performance. We believe that besides adequate stoichiometry, the performance of these compounds can be improved by adequate electrolyte formulation. In this work, compounds of the type Na1-xLi2xMnyNizO δ were synthesized using a facile sol-gel technique The electrochemical performance of the compounds was investigated in a two-electrode cell using the metal oxide as working electrode, metallic sodium as pseudo-reference and counter electrodes and a 1 M NaClO4/EC/PC/additive as electrolyte. The main electrochemical techniques used were GCPL and EIS.The morphology and crystal structure were investigated by XRD, SEM and TEM. [1] J. Xu, D. H. Lee, and Y. S. Meng, Functional Materials Letters 06, 1330001 (2013). [2] N. K. Karan, M. D. Slater, F. Dogan, D. Kim, C. S. Johnson, and M. Balasubramanian, Journal of The Electrochemical Society 161, A1107 (2014). [3] D. Kim, S.-H. Kang, M. Slater, S. Rood, J. T. Vaughey, N. Karan, M. Balasubramanian, and C. S. Johnson, Advanced Energy Materials 1, 333 (2011). [4] E. Lee et al., Advanced Energy Materials 4, 1400458 (2014).

Mixed potential type acetone sensor using stabilized zirconia and M3V2O8 (M: Zn, Co and Ni) sensing electrode

A series of mixed potential type gas sensors using stabilized zirconia and M3V2O8 (M: Zn, Co and Ni) sensing electrode were fabricated and applied for detecting acetone at 600°C. Among the sensors utilizing these composite oxides (Zn3V2O8, Co3V2O8 and Ni3V2O8)–SEs prepared via a facile sol–gel method, the sensor attached with Zn3V2O8–SE exhibited the highest response to acetone at 600°C. Therefore, the present study mainly focused on acetone sensing performance for YSZ-based sensor using Zn3V2O8–SE at 600°C. Results showed that the sensor attached with Zn3V2O8–SE could detect even 1ppm acetone with an acceptable response. Moreover, ΔV of the sensor attached with Zn3V2O8–SE exhibited segmentally linear relationship to the logarithm of acetone concentration in the ranges of 1–10ppm and 10–400ppm, which the sensitivities were −16 and −56mV/decade, respectively. The present device also displayed good repeatability, small drifts in 30 days measured period, and the excellent sensitivity and relatively good selectivity in the presence of various interfering gases before and after 30 days high-temperature-aging of 600°C. Additionally, polarization curve was measured to further demonstrate the mixed potential mechanism.

Kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 Solar Cells with beyond 8% Efficiency by a Sol-Gel and Selenization Process.

A facile sol-gel and selenization process has been demonstrated to fabricate high-quality single-phase earth abundant kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) photovoltaic absorbers. The structure and band gap of the fabricated CZTSSe can be readily tuned by varying the [S]/([S] + [Se]) ratios via selenization condition control. The effects of [S]/([S] + [Se]) ratio on device performance have been presented. The best device shows 8.25% total area efficiency without antireflection coating. Low fill factor is the main limitation for the current device efficiency compared to record efficiency device due to high series resistance and interface recombination. By improving film uniformity, eliminating voids, and reducing the Mo(S,Se)2 interfacial layer, a further boost of the device efficiency is expected, enabling the proposed process for fabricating one of the most promising candidates for kesterite solar cells.

Synthesis, photocatalytic performance and negative thermal expansion property of nanorods ZrMo2−x V x O8−x/2 with cubic structure

Cubic ZrMo2−x V x O8−x/2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) compounds, with well-defined nanorods morphology, were synthesized by a facile sol–gel process without using any surfactant or template. The resulting products were characterized by the X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermal mechanical analyzer and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV–vis DRS). The results indicated that V-doping did not influence the crystal structure and negative thermal expansion (NTE) property, but made rods size increase. Narrowed band gap was observed in V-doped ZrMo2O8. The resultant V-doped ZrMo2O8 samples, as compared with pure ZrMo2O8, exhibited improved UV-light photocatalytic activity, during the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B. The mechanism was supposed that the V-doping gave rise to the formation of oxygen vacancies which could enhance photocatalytic performance by reducing the recombination of electrons and holes. In addition, cubic ZrMo2−x V x O8−x/2 also displayed reliable recycling photocatalytic performance and satisfying UV-light catalytic activity for the organic pollutant. Furthermore, all of the resulting cubic ZrMo2−x V x O8−x/2 showed excellent NTE property from 25 to 450 °C. TEM images of (a) pure ZrMo2O8 and (b) ZrMo1.7V0.3O7.85; (c) RhB degradation under UV-light illumination for 180 min in the presence of cubic ZrMo2−x V x O8−x/2 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5) photocatalysts.

Hg(II) Adsorption By Alginate-guar Gum Templated Titania Spheres: Kinetic And Isotherm Studies

In present communication we report on the kinetic and isotherm studies on Hg(II) removal using our recently reported material, the millimeter sized hollow titania spheres (TSP). The mesoporous spheres with high surface area (11.75 m 2 /g) and bimodal pore size distribution were fabricated by a facile sol-gel approach using alginate-guar gum hybrid beads as the structure directing agent. In order to investigate the utility of TSP for Hg(II) adsorption, the batch adsorption experiments were conducted at various pH values (2–7), initial Hg(II) concentrations (50–300 mg/L), and TSP doses (20-100 mg) at 150 rpm, and 30 °C temperature. The spheres exhibited good capacity to adsorb Hg(II) in wide pH range (pH 3 to pH 7). It was possible to remove >95 % Hg(II) from 100 mg/L synthetic Hg(II) solution at pH 5, and 50 mg TSP dose in 10 h. The adsorption equilibrium data were better fitted to Langmuir model at low temperatures while Freundlich model become favored as the temperature was increased to 40 ºC. Langmuir adsorption isotherm study indicated that the monolayer adsorption capacity of TSP was 62.5 mg/g 62.5 mg/g 78.7 mg/g and 100 mg/g at 10, 20, 30, and 40 ºC respectively, which suggested good Hg(II) adsorption capacity of TSP. The calculated RL values evidenced the feasibility of the adsorption. Adsorption kinetic data well accorded with pseudo-second order kinetic model with the rate constant k, equal to 2.5 x 10 -4 g/mg.min 1.99 x 10 -4 g/mg.min and 0.28 x 10 -4 g/mg.min at 100, 150 and 200 mg/mL initial Hg (II) concentrations, indicating chemisorption taking place in the rate determining step. At high initial Hg(II) concentration (200 mg/mL), the adsorption was exclusively controlled by intraparticle diffusion. The study revealed the suitability of TSP for the mercury removal from wastewater.

High-Quality Solution-Processed Silicon Oxide Gate Dielectric Applied on Indium Oxide Based Thin-Film Transistors.

A silicon oxide gate dielectric was synthesized by a facile sol-gel reaction and applied to solution-processed indium oxide based thin-film transistors (TFTs). The SiOx sol-gel was spin-coated on highly doped silicon substrates and converted to a dense dielectric film with a smooth surface at a maximum processing temperature of T = 350 °C. The synthesis was systematically improved, so that the solution-processed silicon oxide finally achieved comparable break downfield strength (7 MV/cm) and leakage current densities (<10 nA/cm(2) at 1 MV/cm) to thermally grown silicon dioxide (SiO2). The good quality of the dielectric layer was successfully proven in bottom-gate, bottom-contact metal oxide TFTs and compared to reference TFTs with thermally grown SiO2. Both transistor types have field-effect mobility values as high as 28 cm(2)/(Vs) with an on/off current ratio of 10(8), subthreshold swings of 0.30 and 0.37 V/dec, respectively, and a threshold voltage close to zero. The good device performance could be attributed to the smooth dielectric/semiconductor interface and low interface trap density. Thus, the sol-gel-derived SiO2 is a promising candidate for a high-quality dielectric layer on many substrates and high-performance large-area applications.

Scandium and gadolinium co-doped BaTiO3 nanoparticles and ceramics prepared by sol–gel–hydrothermal method: Facile synthesis, structural characterization and enhancement of electrical properties

A facile sol–gel–hydrothermal process was used to synthesize Scandium and Gadolinium co-doped BaTiO3 nanocrystals in this paper. Similar to the previous studies, a single-phase solid-solution structure is hard to achieve for BaTiO3 materials doped with rare-earth ions like Sc- and Gd- via solid-state method. Here, uniform Ba1−xTi1−xGdxScxO3 (0≤x≤0.04) nanoparticles (NPs) with single-phase solid-solution cubic structure and average particle size of 30–40nm were obtained and Ba1−xTi1−xGdxScxO3 pellets prepared from as-synthesized nanopowders can be sintered at a lower temperature of 1150°C. The internal structures, chemical constitution and morphology were characterized by FT-IR spectra, XRD, TEM, HRTEM, Raman spectra and SEM analysis. The results clearly demonstrated that Sc3+ and Gd3+ have entered into the BaTiO3 lattice and led to structural distortion in a short range and all samples were single-phase tetragonal structure at room temperature. Additionally, the dielectric temperature stability was enhanced with Sc3+ and Gd3+ as dopants, since the single-phase BaTiO3 ceramics exhibited broadened dielectric peaks, decline of Curie temperature as well as low dielectric loss below 0.02. Ceramics containing 3mol% Sc3+ and Gd3+ can exhibit the best dielectric behaviour of εr ~1700 and Tc=32°C in this work.

Effects of pore size on the photocatalytic activity of mesoporous TiO2 prepared by a sol–gel process

Highly crystalline mesoporous TiO2 was prepared by a facile sol–gel process in the presence of poly(oxyethylene-23) lauryl ether (Brij-35) surfactant. The pore size distribution of the samples became wider as the amount of Brij-35 increased. When the sample was prepared with moderate concentration of Brij-35, the sample had a bimodal pore size distribution with the small pores at 7 nm and the large pores at 20 nm. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue under UV irradiation. The sample with large pore size and wide pore size distribution showed higher photocatalytic activity. The crystalline mesoporous TiO2 with large pore size and wide pore size distribution showed higher photocatalytic activity.

Synthesis and characterization of ZnO/TiO2 composite core/shell nanorod arrays by sol–gel method for organic solar cell applications

ZnO/TiO2 core/shell nanorod arrays were deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate via a facile sol–gel dip-coating process. Effects of solution pH for ZnO, annealing temperature, growth time and temperature on the physical properties of nanorods have been investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to characterize the structural and morphological properties of the prepared composite nanorods. XRD result revealed wurtzite structure of ZnO with a mixed anatase and rutile structure phase for TiO2. Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) and UV–vis spectroscopy were used to study the chemical composition and optical properties of the films, respectively. Electrical resistivity of the films was also investigated. The optical and electrical properties of the bare TiO2 thin film and core/shell composite were compared together. The results showed that owing to smaller band gap and lower resistivity, the core/shell structure as an electron transport layer for inverted photovoltaic devices is more suitable than bare TiO2 thin film.

Graphene-wrapped WO3 nanospheres with room-temperature NO2 sensing induced by interface charge transfer

Graphene (GR)-wrapped WO3 nanosphere composite was synthesized by using a facile sol–gel method. The morphology and structural properties of the GR-WO3 nanocomposites were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy. The GR-wrapped WO3 nanospheres composite exhibits p-type gas sensing behavior and the response of GR-WO3 sensor toward NO2 shows a linear increase with an increase in the concentration from 7 to 56ppm at room temperature. Upon exposure to 56ppm NO2, its response value becomes 40.8%, but there is no responsiveness for the sensors based on pure WO3 and graphene sensors. The effective charge transfer through chemically bonded interfacial contact between graphene and WO3 nanospheres is proposed to be responsible for the room temperature sensing performance. This work may provide a new insight into the structural design of GR-base nanocomposites and has a potential prospect in the environment monitoring or disease detection of NO2 at room temperature.

Effect of annealing temperature on oxygen vacancy concentrations of nanocrystalline CeO2 film

Nanocrystalline CeO2 films with around 250nm thickness were deposited on Si (001) substrates by a facile sol–gel process with spin coating method. The films are of cubic fluorite structure, and some lattice distortions exist in the film. The phase stability and small change in lattice parameter at different annealing temperatures indicate the good thermal stability of the nanocrystalline CeO2 films. The average grain-size and surface roughness of the films increase with the increase of annealing temperature. The content of Ce3+ and oxygen vacancy is very high in the nanocrystalline CeO2 films, while, the films still remain cubic phase regardless of its high level non-stoichiometric composition. All the annealed samples show two emission bands, and the defect peak centered at ∼500nm shows a red-shift. The intensity of the green-emission band increases with the increasing annealing temperature, which might result from the increasing concentration of oxygen vacancies caused by the valence transition from Ce4+ to Ce3+, and it has also been confirmed by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results. This work demonstrates that oxygen vacancy plays an important role on the properties of the nanocrystalline CeO2 film, and it also provides a possible way to control the concentration of oxygen vacancies.

Synthesis, structural characterization and evaluation of floating B-N codoped TiO2/expanded perlite composites with enhanced visible light photoactivity

Floating photocatalysts of boron-nitrogen codoped TiO2 grafted on expanded perlite (B-N-TiO2/EP) were prepared by a facile sol–gel method. The catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption–desorption (BET), scanning electron microscope (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis–DRS). The results revealed that the physicochemical properties of the photocatalysts, such as BET surface area, porosity and pore size could be controlled by adjusting the calcination temperature and EP dosage. XRD patterns were mainly influenced by calcination temperature and the transformation of anatase to rutile occurred at 650°C. Uniform TiO2 loading, higher surface area and absorption in visible light region were obtained for B-N-TiO2/EP calcined at 550°C with 3.0g EP addition. Moreover, photocatalytic activity for RhB destruction under visible light irradiation was slightly influenced by TiO2 loading in the range of 1–3g EP dosage. BNTEP550 showed the highest photocatalytic activity indicating to be a promising photocatalyst employed to remediate contaminated waters using solar irradiation.

Release behavior of methylene blue dimers from silica-methylene blue@octacalcium phosphate powders in phosphate-buffered saline and lysosome-like buffer

Methylene blue-loaded silica (silica-MB) was coated by octacalcium phosphate (silica-MB@OCP) through a facile sol–gel method. Both MB monomers and dimers were released from silica-MB, while release of MB dimers from silica-MB@OCP was predominant in phosphate-buffered saline and lysosome-like buffer as an indicative of the influence of the molecular weight of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the interaction density of shell network consisted of PEG, citric acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and OCP. The ratio evolution of absorbance of dimers over that of monomers was caused by the radical distribution of MB molecules in silica-MB and silica-MB@OCP. The investigation of MB dimers/carrier system would shed light on the investigation of MB dimers in photodynamic therapy for the specific treatment to outgrowing solid tumors with the disproportion between oxygen supply and consumption.

Structural and spectral investigation of terbium molybdate nanophosphor

Terbium molybdate nanophosphors were synthesized through a facile sol–gel route. The structure of the phosphors was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. The X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the structure of the nanophosphor gradually changes from monoclinic to orthorhombic phase as heated from 700 to 900°C. High resolution transmission electron microscopy, SAED and EDS were also employed to characterize the size, crystallinity and composition of the samples. Detailed spectroscopic investigations were carried out by Judd–Ofelt analysis based on UV–Visible–NIR absorption and emission spectra. The luminescence spectra suggest that phosphors with orthorhombic structure have better luminescence properties than the monoclinic structure. The phosphors showed intense green emission under near-UV excitation due to the energy transfer from the host lattice to Tb3+ ions. The CIE coordinates suggest enhanced color purity for green emission and short fluorescence decay values proposes the suitability for LED applications. These phosphors can be applied as promising candidates for blue and near-UV excited WLEDs.

Fabrication of biomimetic polysiloxane-bioactive glass–chitosan hybrid monoliths with high apatite-forming bioactivity

The development of biomimetic hybrid implants with high bioactivity is very important for successful bone tissue regeneration. This paper presents a simple strategy for fabricating polydimethylsiloxane–bioactive glass–chitosan hybrid monoliths by a facile sol–gel process. Here, chitosan, which is a critical component in human body, is a natural biocompatible polymer and glycosaminoglycans. Our results indicate that the as-fabricated hybrid monoliths have a porous structure and crack-free morphology, and the in vitro bioactivity test demonstrates that the novel hybrid monoliths have a high apatite-forming ability in simulated body fluid. The facile synthesis, biomimetic structure and composition, as well as high bioactivity of the as-fabricated hybrid monoliths make them promising materials for applications in bone tissue regeneration.

Self-doped TiO2 hierarchical hollow spheres with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

The self-doped TiO2 hierarchical hollow spheres were successfully prepared by a facile sol–gel method using the carbon spheres as templates. Characteristics and properties of the products were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetry (DSC/TG), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV–vis DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), photocurrent measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the self-doped TiO2 hierarchical hollow spheres, with diameters about 800–950nm and shell thickness of 20–30nm, were constituted with thousands of self-doped TiO2 nanoparticles with diameters of 20–30nm. The Ti3+ was investigated in the calcinated samples which suggested that there existed stable Ti3+ in the bulk of self-doped TiO2 hollow spheres. The as prepared samples showed improved solar light and visible light induced photocatalytic activities by decomposing Rhodamine B. The improved visible light photocatalytic activities may be due to the oxygen vacancies and Ti3+ localized states of the self-doped TiO2 hierarchical hollow spheres.

Size-controlled synthesis of dispersed equiaxed amorphous TiO2 nanoparticles

Amorphous titania (TiO2) is an important precursor for synthesis of single-phase nanocrystalline anatase. Dispersed equiaxed amorphous TiO2 nanoparticles with controlled sizes were synthesized by a facile sol–gel process and calcination. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analyses indicated that after calcination at 320°C for 2h, the product is pure TiO2. The amorphous nature of the product was verified by X-ray and electron diffraction analyses. Transmission electron microscopy observations revealed that amorphous TiO2 nanoparticles are well dispersed. Average particle sizes and particle size distribution of amorphous TiO2 nanoparticles can be controlled by adjusting pH value and organic titanium sources. Dispersed equiaxed TiO2 nanoparticles with average particle sizes in the 21–52nm range can be synthesized.

Luminescent properties of Eu3+-doped yttrium aluminium garnet films achieved by sol–gel technique

Homogeneous luminescent Eu3+-doped Y3Al5O12 (YAG : Eu3+) films were successfully synthesised by facile sol–gel technology via multi-layers deposition process on quartz substrate. The crystallisation, morphology and optical properties of as-prepared samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and spectrofluorophotometry. And the effect of metal-ions' concentration in sol on the crystallinity of as-prepared films was also studied. Our results showed that the concentration of metal ions in sol played a crucial role on crystallinity of as-prepared films. With a concentration of 1 mol L−1 metal ions in sol, well crystallised YAG : Eu3+ films with a thickness of about 2·20 μm and grains size of about 80 nm were obtained on quartz substrate via spin-coating technology from 20 layers deposition. The as-synthesised YAG : Eu3+ films show high transparency, excellent photoluminescence performance at red-light range under 394 nm excitation, suggesting that it has promising applications for lighting displays and field emission displays.