Structural and optical properties of SrAl2O4: Eu2+/Dy3+ phosphors synthesized by flame spray pyrolysis technique

In this study Sr0.985Al2O4:0.005Eu2+/0.01Dy3+ luminescent materials with long afterglow and high intensity were synthesized by flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) method for the first time. Precursor solution was divided into two separate part. One of the parts was used FSP process, the other one was dried to simulate sol-gel process. Thermal properties and organic content of FSP derived particles and dried gel were compared using DTA-TG and FTIR devices. FSP derived particles were sintered in argon medium at 1200 oC. Phase and elemental analysis of the final phosphors were carried out by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-Ray Photo electron Spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images were obtained to observe particle morphology. Optical properties of phosphor were determined by Photoluminescence (PL), thermoluminescence (TL) and radioluminescence (RL) measurements. The emission spectra of Sr0.985Al2O4:0.005Eu2+/0.01Dy3+ were composed by a green band at 525 nm at room temperature when it was excited by 350 nm light, assigned to anomalous luminescence originated by Eu2+ and Dy3+ in the host lattice. There were estimated peaks at around 90, 130, 170 and 200 oC under the main glow curve in the sample irradiated by X-ray and He-Ne laser (λexc = 632 nm). RL spectrum of Sr0.985Al2O4 :0.005Eu2+/0.01Dy3+ powders have four distinct emission peaks at around 527 nm, 576 nm, 667 nm, 753;nm and a comparatively weak emission band at about 846 nm.