Photoluminescence Intensity Research Articles

The effects of Eu3+ concentration on the photoluminescence of Na4Ca (PO3)6 phosphors prepared by a solid-state reaction method.

A series of Na4Ca (PO3)6: xmol% Eu3+ (x = 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) was synthesized using a solid-state method and characterized using various techniques. The X-ray powder diffraction data confirmed that the phosphors crystalized in the monoclinic phase. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of phosphate groups and an H-O-H peak. The optical bandgaps got smaller as the Eu3+ concentration went up as seen in the diffuse reflectance data. The photoluminescence excitation spectra obtained when monitoring the 613 nm emission line showed peaks assigned to 4f→4f Eu3+ transitions. When the excitation was monitored at 394 nm, the emission exhibited strong narrow bands at 591, 613, 651 and 698 nm owing to the 5D0 → 7FJ (J = 0 - 4) transitions of Eu3+. The main emission peak increased with Eu3+ concentration from 1 mol% to 4 mol% and decreased significantly as the Eu3+ concentration reached 5 mol%. The concentration quenching effect is responsible for the drop in PL intensity at concentrations higher than the optimum Eu3+ concentration. The International Commission on Illumination (CIE) chromaticity coordinates of the phosphors displayed colour response in the orange- red region, suggesting that they have potential application in the orange-red colour-emitting light displays.

Defect enriched luminescent MXene-derived TiO2 for supercapacitors

To utilize the intriguing properties of MXene and titania, here in this work we have synthesized defect enriched TiO2 by thermal annealing of MXene phase (Mxene-derived-TiO2) and characterized using x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Field emission and transmission electron microscopy. Such uniquely derived MXene-derived-TiO2 displayed bright blue light photoluminescence (PL) under near UV excitation. The electrochemical analysis underscores the superior electrochemical performance of MXene-derived-TiO2, particularly in terms of specific capacitance and pseudocapacitive behavior, making them highly suitable for supercapacitors. The oxygen and titanium vacancies present in MXene-derived-TiO2 are responsible for its excellent PL and supercapacitor action. Such defect induced origin of PL and supercapacitive action was further validated by addition of NiO. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) suggested addition of NiO to Mxene-derived-TiO2 leads to reduction in defect density of titanium vacancies and is reflected in lowering of PL intensity and resulted in inferior supercapacitive properties.

Tunable photoluminescence of electrosynthesized Ag2S@ZnSe quantum dots for nanomedicine applications

Quantum dots (QDs) synthesized from environmentally friendly precursors associated to scalable and high-efficiency production routes are essential for nanomedicine applications. Ag2S nanocrystal is notable by antimicrobial activity, photothermal properties, and low toxicity, making it promising bioactive nanomaterial. In this work, L-glutathione (GSH) capped Ag2S and ZnSe QDs were synthesized by using a fast and environmentally friendly electrochemical method (cavity cell, graphite powder macroelectrode and aqueous medium) and tested for biological applications. Ag2S nanocrystals presented a monoclinic structure (XRD analysis). The modulation of the optical properties was carried out by varying the Ag+/S2- ratio (1:1, 2:1, and 4:1), showing a photoluminescence hypsochromic shift from 916 to 759nm, respectively. The modulation of the optical parameters was also carried out by the synthesis of Ag2S@ZnSe core/shell nanostructures. ZnSe seeds were prepared by the same electrochemical method and added to the Ag2S solution followed by thermal treatment under reflux (10min). Ag2S@ZnSe systems showed higher photoluminescence intensity and a hypsochromic shift of the emission band using Ag2S cores (Ag+/S2- = 1:1 and 1:2), which was associated to the formation of alloy-type structures. In the case of the Ag2S@ZnSe (Ag+/S2- = 1:4), a bathochromic shift of the emission bands can be observed, which was associated to the formation of a core/shell structure. Ag2S@ZnSe QDs were tested in antimicrobial and cytotoxicity assays, showing a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) equal to 512µg.mL-1. No cytotoxicity was observed against the Vero cell line at all concentrations tested (7.81 to 1000µg.mL-1), and low cytotoxicity against the HT-29 tumor line (7.81 to 31.25µg.mL-1), thus showing promising results for bioapplications.

Reduction of 4‐Nitrophenol Catalyzed by Gold Nanoclusters with Aggregation‐Induced‐Emission: Emission Intensity Correlated Activity and Mechanistic Exploration

AbstractThiolate‐protected Au nanoclusters (NCs) have developed as a promising class of model catalysts to achieve fundamental understanding of metal nanocatalysis. Whereas, the packing mode of peripheral ligand on metal core is changeful in the reaction medium and show elusive impact on catalytic activity. In this work, using glutathione (GSH) protected Au NCs (Au@GSH NCs) with aggregation‐induced‐emission (AIE) characteristics as model catalyst for the hydrogenation of 4‐nitrophenol (4‐NP), photoluminescence (PL) intensity correlated catalytic activity of Au@GSH NCs was successfully mediated by the addition of Ag+ in the preparation or poor solvent in the reaction medium, showing a relationship of “as one falls, another rises.” Au NCs with intense PL implied a dense packing of peripheral ligand, which hampered the accessibility of active site and thus exhibited slowest catalytic reaction kinetics of the reduction of 4‐NP and vice versa. Based on this methodology, a case study of the effect of salt additives on the catalytic activity is carried out, different mechanisms are distinguished by the change in the PL intensity, and with the combination of diagnostic deuterium isotope experiments, it has been demonstrated that the proton from water solvent is involved in the reaction and that the proton transfer process is the rate‐determining step, the contribution of ionic additives to the hydrogen bonding network determines their effect on the reaction kinetics. The correlation between PL intensity and catalytic activity of Au NCs could provide an efficient way to design highly active Au NC catalysts and give a new insight to understand the unique optoelectronic properties of Au NCs and reaction mechanism.

Enhancement of the Photoluminescent Intensity of YVO4: Er, Yb UCNPs Using a Simple Coprecipitation Synthesis Method.

Yttrium vanadate (YVO4) is a non-toxic ceramic matrix that, when doped with lanthanides, can be used as a photoluminescent biosensor. In this study, we meticulously synthesized upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) of YVO4 via chemical coprecipitation, using Er3+ and Yb3+ ions for codoping. The light emission achieved through upconversion mechanisms enables the excitation of nanoparticles with infrared light rather than ultraviolet light, enhancing the potential of current bioimaging techniques. The light emission intensity of our YVO4: Er, Yb UCNPs, a key factor in their effectiveness, depended on various easily adjustable factors during the synthesis, such as the dopant concentration, the heat treatment, and the cleaning process. The UCNPs were characterized using a range of advanced techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinements, as well as Raman, photoluminescence (PL), and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopies, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). We found the most convenient stoichiometry to obtain the YVO4: Er, Yb UCNPs and showed that a rigorous thermal treatment was necessary to achieve light emission through upconversion mechanisms. We also discovered that some porosity characteristics can be promoted in the YVO4: Er, Yb UCNPs during the cleaning process, depending on the solvent employed. The porosity and morphology of the nanoparticles could be predicted using the microstrain values obtained from the refinement of the crystalline structures. All these meticulous steps in our research have enabled us to develop an efficient synthesis pathway to produce YVO4: Er, Yb UCNPs with high photoluminescent intensity.

Water-Vapor-Triggered Dual-Mode Optical Responses in Rare-Earth-Doped Hollow Nanospheres.

Multimode responsive optical materials are garnering ever-increasing attention due to their diverse applications. This work showcases a film assembled with rare-earth-doped CaF2 hollow nanospheres that exhibit water-vapor-triggered dual-mode optical responses. Upon exposure to flowing water vapor, the film rapidly (less than 1.5 s for a 7.7 μm thickness) transitions to a transparent state and simultaneously undergoes a sharp decrease in the photoluminescence intensity. Both of these changes fully reverse upon water evaporation, demonstrating an impressive reversibility over at least 200 cycles. The water-vapor-induced dual-mode responses are attributed to the altered incident light propagation path stemming from the similar refractive indices between CaF2 and water, coupled with the water-induced energy loss of the rare-earth ions. The fabrication of encryption patterns displaying separate signals in multiple channels, as well as the demonstration of noncontact sensing for water vapor distribution, underscore the promising application potential of this dual-mode responsive system.

Effect of Hyaluronic Acid on the Activity of Methylene Blue in Photogeneration of 1O2

The effect of a natural polysaccharide (hyaluronic acid (HA)) on the photocatalytic activity of methylene blue (MB) was studied both under model conditions (a tryptophan photooxidation reaction in water) and with in vitro experiments on P. aeruginosa and S. aureus bacterial cultures. It was shown spectrophotometrically that, in the presence of HA, an increase in the optical density of the absorption bands λ = 665 nm and 620 nm—which correspond to the monomeric and dimeric forms of the dye, respectively—was observed in the EAS of the dye, while the ratio of the optical density of these bands remained practically unchanged. When adding HA to MB, the intensity of singlet oxygen 1O2 photoluminescence and the degree of fluorescence polarization of MB increase. The observed effects are associated with the disaggregation of molecular associates of the dye in the presence of HA. The maximum increase in the photocatalytic activity of MB (by 1.6 times) was observed in the presence of HA, with concentrations in a range between 0.0015 wt.% and 0.005 wt.%.

Towards atomic-scale smooth surface manufacturing of β-Ga2O3 via highly efficient atmospheric plasma etching

Abstract The highly efficient manufacturing of atomic-scale smooth β-Ga2O3 surface is fairly challenging because β-Ga2O3 is a typical difficult-to-machine material. In this study, a novel plasma dry etching method named plasma-based atom-selective etching (PASE) is proposed to achieve the highly efficient, atomic-scale, and damage-free polishing of β-Ga2O3. The plasma is excited through the inductive coupling principle and carbon tetrafluoride is utilized as the main reaction gas to etch β-Ga2O3. The core of PASE polishing of β-Ga2O3 is the remarkable lateral etching effect, which is ensured by both the intrinsic property of the surface and the extrinsic temperature condition. As revealed by density functional theory-based calculations, the intrinsic difference in the etching energy barrier of atoms at the step edge (2.36 eV) and in the terrace plane (4.37 eV) determines their difference in the etching rate, and their etching rate difference can be greatly enlarged by increasing the extrinsic temperature. The polishing of β-Ga2O3 based on the lateral etching effect is further verified in the etching experiments. The Sa roughness of β-Ga2O3 (001) substrate is decreased from 14.8 to 0.057 nm within 120 s, and the corresponding material removal rate reaches up to 20.96 μm/min. The polished β-Ga2O3 displays significantly improved crystalline quality and photoluminescence intensity, and the polishing effect of PASE is independent of the crystal faces of β-Ga2O3. In addition, the competition between chemical etching and physical reconstruction, which is determined by temperature and greatly affects the surface state of β-Ga2O3, is deeply studied for the first time. These findings not only demonstrate the high-efficiency and high-quality polishing of β-Ga2O3 via atmospheric plasma etching but also hold significant implications for guiding future plasma-based surface manufacturing of β-Ga2O3.

Enhancement strategy of thermal stability and photoluminescent intensity of Cr3+ doped Li3+xZn2–2xGaxSbO6 phosphor in a strong crystal field

Near-infrared phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (pc-LEDs) have shown enormous influence in various applications such as night vision, non-destructive detection，especially in the realm of plant cultivation. However, the role of phosphors presently employed in plant cultivation is typically limited, serving primarily for the purpose of illumination. In this work, a series of near-infrared phosphors Li3+xZn2–2xGaxSbO6: 0.02Cr3+(LZGS: 0.02Cr3+) under 450 nm excitation was successfully synthesized by high-temperature solid-state method. Through precise modulation of Ga3+ ions, a blue shift in the emission spectrum was observed, demonstrating excellent overlap with the absorption spectrum of Phytochrome. To explain two phenomena of spectral blue shift and the enhancement in luminescence intensity, density functional theory calculations have been performed. Additionally, a crystal field strength Dq/B of 3.48 was achieved, which represents the highest value currently reported for Cr3+-doped phosphors. The results offer potential applications of LZGS: 0.02Cr3+ in temperature sensing, enabling precise detection of the environmental temperature for plant growth. Finally, pc-LED devices were made by combining LZGS: 0.02Cr3+ with 450 nm blue light chips and applied to plant lighting, temperature measurement, and anti-counterfeiting, demonstrating the potential of LZGS: 0.02Cr3+ in multifaceted applications.

Caesium-Iodide-Assisted Synthesis of High-Quality, Stable, and Robust Lead-Free Perovskite Quantum Dots.

The poor morphology, and susceptibility to oxidation of tin-based perovskite quantum dots (TQDs) have posed significant challenges, limiting their application potential. This study presents a straightforward method for synthesizing high-quality CsSnI3-based perovskite quantum dots (TQDs) by incorporating a mixed Cs source of Cs2CO3 and CsI. The addition of CsI increased the I:Sn ratio while maintaining Sn:Cs, resulting in TQDs with smaller size and improved uniformity. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses confirmed enhanced crystallinity, photoluminescence intensity, and antioxidation ability of CsI-TQDs. Remarkably, these TQDs exhibit exceptional stability, enduring over 1 h in air and more than 24 h before complete oxidation, surpassing the previously reported longest lifetime in air for TQDs with conventional oleic acid (OA) and oleylamine (OAm) ligands. Furthermore, these TQD films retain robustness after ligand exchange with methyl acetate (MeOAc) and formamidinium iodide (FAI), representing the first successful short-ligand exchange of TQDs and enabling further electronic device applications. These findings suggest that CsI in the Cs source plays a crucial role in facilitating the formation of surface complexes, regulating TQD growth and suppressing iodine vacancies.

Bulk Single Crystals and Physical Properties of Rutile GeO2 for High‐Power Electronics and Deep‐Ultraviolet Optoelectronics

The top‐seeded solution growth for rutile GeO2 single crystals using alkali carbonates or fluorides as flux is applied. Structural data of obtained single crystals confirm the rutile phase with a = b = 4.3966 Å and c = 2.8612 Å. The crystals with diameter of 5–15 mm are either undoped or intentionally doped with Sb5+, Sn4+, Al3+, Ga3+, and F− ions. It is found that Sb5+ is a very efficient n‐type donor enabling free electron concentration even above 1020 cm−3; thus, Sb‐doped GeO2 is a potential substrate for vertical power devices. In contrast, crystals doped with Al and Ga do not show p‐type conductivity suggested by the theory. The onset of the absorption occurs at 5.0 and 5.5 eV perpendicular and parallel to the c‐axis, respectively. Rutile GeO2 shows a very intense photoluminescence peaking at 420 nm (blue) and 520 nm (green). Raman spectra show narrow lines, in particular at high phonon energy (B1g, 170 cm−1). Prepared wafers show FWHM values of rocking curves below 30 arcsec and polishing is achieved down to RMS roughness of 0.15 nm. Transmission electron microscopy images do not show point or extended structural defects with uniform Sb distribution.

Rapid Mg substitution to Ga-sites and slow defect recovery revealed by depth-resolved photoluminescence in Mg/N-ion-implanted GaN

Toward p-type GaN formation by Mg ion implantation (I/I) applicable to devices, depth-resolved photoluminescence (PL) revealed key behaviors during activation annealing for precise profile control, such as Mg substitution into Ga-sites (MgGa) and recovery of I/I defects. Depth profiles of the MgGa acceptor concentration were measured for Mg-I/I and Mg/N-I/I samples after ultra-high-pressure annealing at 1300 °C for 1–60 min. The cycle of low-damage dry etching and PL measurement was repeated over the I/I depth, and the MgGa concentration was estimated at each depth based on the calibration curve for the PL intensity ratio between acceptor-bound excitons (A0XA) and free excitons (FXA). In the region deeper than the I/I peak of 0.3 μm, almost all of the Mg atoms rapidly substituted into Ga-sites during the short annealing process. By contrast, the Mg substitution ratios in the shallower region were low when the annealing process was short but were improved by the sequential N-I/I. The low substitution ratio can be explained by MgGa bonding with nitrogen vacancy (VN)-related defects, while the implanted N-ions can compensate them. The PL intensity near the mean implantation depth of Mg/N-I/I was gradually improved as the annealing duration was increased to 60 min, indicating a slow reduction of nonradiative recombination centers. Simultaneously, the green luminescence associated with the VN-related defects decreased in intensity with increasing annealing time. Therefore, the main effect of prolonging annealing is the enhancement of slow defect recovery rather than enhancement of the Mg substitution as a fast process.

Micrometer-Resolution Fluorescence and Lifetime Mappings of CsPbBr3 Nanocrystal Films Coupled with a TiO2 Grating.

Enhancing light emission from perovskite nanocrystal (NC) films is essential in light-emitting devices, as their conventional stacks often restrict the escape of emitted light. This work addresses this challenge by employing a TiO2 grating to enhance light extraction and shape the emission of CsPbBr3 nanocrystal films. Angle-resolved photoluminescence (PL) demonstrated a 10-fold increase in emission intensity by coupling the Bloch resonances of the grating with the spontaneous emission of the perovskite NCs. Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) provided micrometer-resolution mapping of both PL intensity and lifetime across a large area, revealing a decrease in PL lifetime from 8.2 ns for NC films on glass to 6.1 ns on the TiO2 grating. Back focal plane (BFP) spectroscopy confirmed how the Bloch resonances transformed the unpolarized, spatially incoherent emission of NCs into polarized and directed light. These findings provide further insights into the interactions between dielectric nanostructures and perovskite NC films, offering possible pathways for designing better performing perovskite optoelectronic devices.

Influence of carbon dots as modifier and SiO2 shell coating as a protecting layer in YAlO3:Cr3+ phosphors for multimodal applications

This study focuses on the synthesis of SiO2-coated carbon dots (CDs) grafted onto YAlO3:Cr3+ (YAP:Cr3+) nanophosphors (NPs) through a combustion method. The CDs enhance the absorption cross-section of Cr3+ ions, significantly boosting the luminescence of YAP:Cr3+ by 19.29-fold. Further improvement is achieved with a SiO2 coating, leading to a 48.73-fold increase in photoluminescence intensity. The NCs are colour tunable, with emissions ranging from pinkish-red to blue, depending on the concentration of CDs and the excitation wavelength. These properties make them suitable for diverse applications, such as ratio metric fluorescence sensors for detecting Fe3+ ions within the 0–350 µM range, with high sensitivity (0.2 µM) and a low detection limit (4.93 μM). Additionally, they serve as material for white light-emitting diodes (W-LEDs), achieving CIE coordinates of (0.31, 0.30) and a rendering index of 94. The NCs also function as an optical thermometer with a sensitivity of 0.31 % K−1 at 320 K, making them ideal for temperature sensing applications. Moreover, their stability and dual-emissive nature make them highly effective in latent fingerprints (LFPs) detection, enabling high-resolution, level III fingerprint analysis. The dual emission properties of CDs and Cr3+ ions position these NCs as multifunctional materials, suitable for optical sensing, lighting, and security applications.

A novel red-emitting InScW3O12:Eu3+ phosphor with anti-thermal-quenching performance for high-power WLED applications

A series of red-emitting InScW3O12:Eu3+ (ISWO:Eu3+) phosphors with anti-thermal-quenching performance were successfully synthesized by conventional solid-state reaction. The phase structure and luminescent properties of ISWO:Eu3+ were systematically studied. The photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectrum showed that ISWO:Eu3+ phosphor can be effectively matched with commercial ultraviolet (UV), violet and blue light chips. The main emission peak of the phosphor was located at 613 nm, which was attributed to the electric dipole transition 5D0 → 7F2. Under the optimal excitation, the prepared ISWO:0.08Eu3+ phosphor showed excellent anti-thermal-quenching performance, its photoluminescence (PL) intensity at 180 °C reached 157.4 % of initial intensity at room temperature. At 465 nm excitation, it also exhibited the anti-thermal-quenching property and the PL intensity remained 115.1 % at 150 °C of that at room temperature. In situ XRD analysis revealed that the lattice contraction resulting in an increase in structural rigidity as the temperature rising, which caused the change of Eu3+ local environment and improved the PL intensity. Finally, a series of warm white LED devices under varying power density conditions with stable output were prepared using the red ISWO:0.08Eu3+ phosphor, indicating that the ISWO:Eu3+ phosphor with excellent anti-thermal-quenching performance has potential application prospects in high-power white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs).

Prominent cryogenic fluorescence temperature sensing and superior room-temperature photochromism in Bi/Eu codoped KNN transparent-ferroelectric ceramics

The growing demand for the miniaturization and multifunctionality of optoelectronic devices has promoted the development of transparent ferroelectrics. However, it is difficult for the superior multiple optical properties of these materials to be compatible with the excellent ferroelectricity and piezoelectricity in transparent ceramics. Here, we successfully synthesized Bi/Eu codoped eco-friendly K0.5Na0.5NbO3 transparent-ferroelectric ceramics with photoluminescence (PL) behavior, photochromic (PC) reactions and temperature-responsive PL. Based on the distinct optical properties of ceramics at different temperature ranges (room temperature and ultralow temperature), high utilization of multiple optical functions was realized. At room temperature, the PC behavior induced PL modulation contrast reaches 75.2% (at 592 nm), which can be applied in the optical information storage field. In the ultralow temperature range, the ceramics exhibit excellent sensitivity (with a maximum relative sensitivity of 26.32%/K) via fluorescence intensity ratio technology and exhibit great application potential in noncontact optical temperature measurements. Additionally, the change in the PL intensity at different wavelengths (I614/I592) can serve as a reliable indicator for detecting the occurrence of the phase transition from rhombohedral to orthorhombic at low temperature. This work provides a feasible paradigm for realizing the integration of ferroelectricity and multifarious optical properties in a single optoelectronic material.

Investigation of the Effects of Different Phases of TiO2 Nanoparticles on PVA Membranes

Introduction: PVA/TiO2 nanocomposite membranes are prepared by solution casting technique where different phases of TiO2 nanoparticles like brookite, brookiterutile and rutile are dispersed in PVA matrix. Sol-gel method was employed to prepare TiO2 nanoparticles, while different phases of TiO2 have been obtained by controlling the calcination temperature. Methods: PVA/TiO2 nanocomposite membranes were characterized by XRD, FTIR, AFM, TEM, UV-visible and PL techniques. XRD results confirmed the presence of different phases of TiO2, exhibiting 3.3 nm, 8.4 nm, and 35.7 nm mean crystalline size. The XRD studies also confirmed that TiO2 nanoparticles became properly dispersed to the PVA matrix, leading to increased PVA crystallinity after doping of different phases of TiO2 nanoparticles. UV-visible analysis revealed an increase in absorption intensity and peak position shifts slightly towards longer wavelengths, which indicates that nanofillers tuned the band gap of PVA. The doping of the TiO2 (brookite) phase in the PVA matrix results in a decreased in PL intensity. Results: This suggests that the PVA/TiO2 (brookite) membrane exhibits a greater degree of photocatalytic activity in comparison to the other two composites. According to the FTIR investigation, the hydroxyl (OH) groups present in PVA interact with the dopants Ti+ ions via intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds to produce charge transfer complexes (CTC). The AFM study shows surface roughness details for PVA and PVA/TiO2 composite membranes. The average grain size of TiO2 nanoparticles calculated from TEM images is in good agreement with the grain size calculated by XRD. Conclusion: By adjusting the phase of TiO2 nanoparticles into PVA matrix, composites can be developed that are optimized for a variety of applications such as water purification, UV protection, self-cleaning surfaces, lithium-ion batteries, and optoelectronic devices.

A sustainable pathway for the photodegradation of Rhodamine B dye using Mn-doped CaFe2O4 anchored on citrus fruit peel-derived biochar matrix

This report details the synthesis of Mn-doped CaFe2O4 nanoparticles supported on biochar. We evaluate the photocatalytic activity of the resulting nanocomposite towards the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye, a well-known environmental pollutant. Doping CaFe2O4 with Mn and subsequently incorporating it onto biochar results in enhanced visible light absorption and diminished photoluminescence (PL) intensity. The photocatalyst Mn-doped CaFe2O4/Biochar was synthesized via a hydrothermal method. The morphology and photocatalytic characteristics of the synthesized catalyst were comprehensively scrutinized through powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS), and photoluminescence (PL) investigations. The photocatalytic properties of the catalyst were further assessed through the degradation of RhB dye, revealing a degradation efficiency of 97.31% within a 70-minute timeframe. The photocatalyst exhibits reusability for up to five cycles while maintaining a photocatalytic efficiency of more than 80%.

Enhanced luminescence of CaO:Eu2+ red phosphor in glass for high-power warm LED

Highly emissive and stable red phosphors are vital for the warm Light Emitting Diode (LED). Herein, blue-light-excited CaO:Eu2+ red phosphors were prepared using the carbonation method, coupled with the double crucible carbon reduction technology. The addition of GeO2 and SnO2 significantly enhanced the photoluminescence (PL) intensity and quantum efficiency. Furthermore, a phosphor-in-glass (PiG) made from an improved luminescent CaO:Eu2+ was developed and utilized for LED applications. Such PiG samples considerably improved the stability of CaO:Eu2+ phosphors. The excellent stability, high color rendering index (Ra) value of 87.7 and low correlated color temperature (CCT) of 4469 K confirmed the resulting CaO:Eu2+-based PiG as a promising material for white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs).

An investigation of n-type semiconductors based on optical and photoluminescence of pure and Al doped Pr:123 compound

With ZnO comparison, we report here an investigation of n-type semiconductors in terms of optical and photoluminescence (PL) analysis based on PrBa2Cu3-3xAl3xOy (AlPr:123) compound with (0.00 ≤ x ≤ 1.00). The structure is tetragonal of the samples with x ≤ 0.30 and changes to orthorhombic for x > 0.30, whereas it is wurtizite (hexagonal) for ZnO. As x increases to 1.00, the grain size is decreased, while the crystallite size and porosity are increased, but they are comparable with those obtained for ZnO. The Debye temperature, Young’s modulus and energy gap are drastically decreased by increasing x until reach to their maximum values of 623.14 K, 952 GPa and 3.45 eV for x = 1.00 (650.39 K, 17 GPa and 3.28 eV for ZnO). The x = 0.05 has increased the carrier density to 8.06 × 10 19 (cm−3), which is about 8-times higher than of ZnO (1.07 × 10 19 (cm −3). The highest value of q-factor (3.5 × 10 5) is obtained for x = 0.00, which is about 10-tims higher than of ZnO (3 × 10 4). As x increases above 0.30, the optical conductivity is significantly increased to be greater than that of ZnO. The PL intensity of the visible emission peaks was gradually increases against x until becomes higher than that of ZnO when x = 1.00. A slight UV shift is obtained for x ≤ 0.30 samples, but it changed to blue for x ≥ 0.60, which is typically similar to ZnO. As compared to ZnO, the present samples are strongly recommended for plastic deformation, solar cell, light emission, super-capacitor and high-power operation. To the best of our knowledge, the present work has never been done elsewhere.