Preparation and Spectroscopy Characterization of Eu:MgAl<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>4</SUB> Nanopowder Prepared by Modified Pechini Method

In the present work, a modified Pechini method was employed to prepare nanostructured MgAl2O4 spinel powders doped with Eu3+ ions. The XRD analyses demonstrated that the powders were single-phase spinel nanopowders with high crystallite dispersion. The average spinel particle size was determined to be approximately 15 nm for calcination at 700 degrees C, and approximately 20 at 1000 degrees C. The emission and excitation spectra measured for the samples calcinated at 700 and 1000 degrees C demonstrated characteristic spectra of Eu3+ ions as well as were measured the emission spectra of Eu2+ ions for the samples calcinated at 700 degrees C. The effect of MgAl2O4 grain sizes on luminescence properties was noticed. To explain these differences a detailed analysis of luminescence spectra by the Judd-Ofelt theory has been performed.