Search

Following the rapid growth of lightning technology, the development of red-emitting phosphors is effective for improving color temperature and color rendering index for w-LEDs devices. Herein, a single phased garnet phosphor with cation and polyhedron substitution modification was firstly prepared. For Mg 3 Gd 2 Ge 3 O 12 : Bi3+, Eu3+, the intensity has been remarkably improved by about 16% compared to the one without Bi3+ sensitization. The energy transfer mechanism is identified in this work. Based on cation and polyhedron substitution strategies, novel phosphors with different compositions were obtained and further modified the PL properties. With Lu3+ substitution, the bond lengths between Bi3+ ion and anion ligands are decreased and the site symmetry has been strengthened, which leads to a 21 nm blue shift when Lu3+ totally replaced Gd3+ ions. In addition, Lu3+ and [SiO 4 ] substitution strategies both effectively increased symmetric rigid structure, which leads to a significant improvement in thermal stability, indicating the samples own great potential in optical applications This work provides a new insight to synthesis red-emitting phosphors for warm white-LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ca9La(PO4)5(SiO4)F2:Tb3+,Dy3+ (CLPSF:Tb3+,Dy3+) phosphors were successfully prepared using the traditional solid‐state technique. The crystal structure was refined and the luminescence properties have been examined in detail. The band gap and electronic structure of Ca9La(PO4)5(SiO4)F2 were performed by the periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculation. The spectral and fluorescence decay dynamics of CLPSF:Tb3+,Dy3+ show that the energy transfer behavior between Tb3+ and Dy3+ ions is observed. The CLPSF:Tb3+,Dy3+ phosphors can be efficiently excitable at the wavelengths range from 300 to 500 nm. The emission spectrum covers the whole visible part of the spectra with the sharp emission bands in red, green, and blue regions. The correlated color temperature (CCT) and color rendering index (CRI) of white light emission could be improved by the fine‐tuning of the Tb3+ and Dy3+ ions ration in accordance with the energy transfer behavior. Thus, the CLPSF:Tb3+,Dy3+ phosphor could be used as a material for the near‐ultraviolet (n‐UV) and white light‐emitting diodes (w‐LEDs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The novel apatite-type phosphor Ca 9 Tb(PO 4) 5 (SiO 4)F 2 :Mn2+ (CTPSF:Mn2+) has been successfully synthesized and it demonstrated a potential for optical thermometry. The energy transfer process between Tb3+ and Mn2+ was of resonant type via a dipole-dipole mechanism based on the Inokuti–Hirayama theoretical model, and the energy transfer (ET) efficiency and ET rate were estimated. In view of the energy transfer behavior, a strategy, involving the use of Tb3+ and Mn2+ dual-emitting centers with different thermal quenching behavior, has been developed to achieve temperature sensitivity and good signal discrimination. The temperature dependence of the fluorescence intensity ratios (FIR) for the dual-emission bands peaking at 548 and 595 nm was studied in the range of 298–573 K under excitation of 377 nm ultraviolet light and the maximum relative sensitivity was approximately 1.92% K−1 at 423 K. It is expected that this preliminary study will provide an important advance in exploring novel ratiometric optical thermometry. Highlights • Novel apatite-type phosphor Ca 9 Tb(PO 4) 5 (SiO 4)F 2 was synthesized. • Energy transfer mechanism is estimated based on Inokuti–Hirayama model. • Non-contact thermometry was developed with a new inorganic material. • The maximum S r of the as-prepared phosphor was as high as 1.92% K−1. • This work provides an insight to design ratiometric optical thermometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An activators lattice migration strategy was customized for developing tunable- luminescence phosphors in Ce doped β -Ca 3 (PO 4) 2 families. By dint of XAFS and DFT calculations, we predicted the local crystal environment of each lattices and migrated Ce3+ from M(3) to another strengthened site with a lower coordination number, shorter bonding bond length, and greater polyhedral distortion, M(5). Relevant parameters were identified for dealing with interference caused by the electronegativity change during structural modification and some applications emerged for display and information security. [Display omitted] • Activators lattice migration strategy was proposed for tunable-emission phosphors. • The specific occupation and 5 sites local crystal environment of Ce were predicted. • Ce3+ was migrated to another site with a strengthened crystal field by modification. • The relative intensity of ε CFS and ε NE determined an abnormal emitting mechanism. • Δ D (C e 3 +) were identified to deal with the interference of electronegativity difference. The luminescent properties of phosphors are determined by the electronic configuration of their activators and the crystal environment in which they are embedded. By manipulating the site-selective occupancy of activators, we can coordinately control the local crystal field and electron cloud distribution to master the movement of emission wavelength and obtain a color-tunable phosphor. The system of β -Ca 3 (PO 4) 2 is an excellent carrier for crystal-site engineering to modify luminescent performance. It has five distinct crystal sites and a strong photoluminescence response. However, due to low doping concentration and structural complexity, the specific occupation of Ce remains unknown. We discussed the specific position of Ce in this study and proposed a novel activators lattice migration strategy for controlling the relative strength of crystal field splitting (CFS) and the nephelauxetic effect (NE) to control luminescence properties. By combining X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) with DFT calculation, we predicted the local environment of each crystal lattice and migrated Ce3+ from M(3) to a strengthened crystal field site with a lower coordination number, shorter bonding bond length, and greater polyhedral distortion, M(5) , resulting in phosphors with tunable luminescence emission. Relevant parameters Δ D (C e 3 +) were identified for dealing with interference caused by the electronegativity difference during a structural modification. Some potential applications emerged as a supplement and an intriguing QR-code and response program for epidemic prevention were demonstrated. This structure–activity relationship-based strategy provides new inspiration for designing luminescent materials with tunable emission and a broader range of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ba 3 Sc(PO 4 ) 3 :Eu 2+ ,Tb 3+ (BSP:Eu 2+ ,Tb 3+ ) phosphors were successfully prepared via conventional high-temperature solid-state reaction, their luminescence properties as well as energy transfer mechanism have been investigated in detail. The energy transfer mechanism was proposed to be the dipole–quadrupole mechanism, and the energy transfer efficiency was also estimated. BSP:Eu 2+ ,Tb 3+ phosphors showed a broad emitting band centered at 518 nm and several sharp emission peaks, which were assigned to the 5 d →4 f allowed transitions of Eu 2+ ions and characteristic optical 5 D 4 – 7 F J ( J =6, 5, 4, and 3) transitions of Tb 3+ ions, respectively. The emission color of BSP:Eu 2+ , y Tb 3+ exhibited a controlled luminescence evolution in the green area owing to the Eu 2+ –Tb 3+ energy transfer process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tm 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped BaLa 2 ZnO 5 up-conversion (UC) phosphors were successfully synthesized by high temperature solid-state reaction method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show that synthesized phosphor co-doped with 0.75% Tm/10% Yb has the optimum pure phase of BaLa 2 ZnO 5 among different co-doping concentrations. The structure of BaLa 2 ZnO 5 :0.75% Tm/10% Yb phosphor was refined by the Rietveld method and results show the decreased unit cell parameters and cell volume after doping Tm 3+ /Yb 3+ , indicating that Tm 3+ /Yb 3+ have successfully replaced La 3+ . Under excitation at 980 nm, Tm 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped BaLa 2 ZnO 5 phosphors present bright blue emission near 478 nm generated by the 1 G 4 → 3 H 6 transition and weak red emissions around 653 nm and 692 nm generated by the 1 G 4 → 3 F 4 and 3 F 3 → 3 H 6 transitions of Tm 3+ , respectively. The UC luminescence properties of BaLa 2 ZnO 5 phosphors co-doped with different Tm 3+ /Yb 3+ concentrations were investigated, and the related UC mechanisms of Tm 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped BaLa 2 ZnO 5 depending on pump power were studied in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Montmorillonite (Mt) has high cation exchange capacity and thus has been studied extensively for its cation exchange interactions with other cations. However, molecular simulations for the forces governing the cation exchange on Mt surfaces or in the interlayer spaces were limited. In this study, Mt with K+ and Na+ in the interlayer spaces was tested for its cation exchange with Cd2+ in solution and the forces driving the cation exchange reaction were simulated by molecular simulations. The experimental results showed that Na+ in Na + Mt was completely exchanged by Cd2+, while only 50% of K+ in K + Mt was exchanged by Cd2+. A larger d-value was noticed for Na + Mt in comparison to K + Mt, suggesting that the interlayer space is more hydrated with Na+ as the interlayer space cation. Molecular dynamic simulations revealed a larger energy decrease when Cd2+ substitutes K+. However, the nice fit of the K+ into the 12-coordinated interlayer space sites may restrict its hydration and thus reduce its interlayer space cation exchange capability by Cd2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BaLa2ZnO5:Er3+/Yb3+ has been synthesized via a high temperature solid-state method, and the tunable upconversion luminescence and energy transfer process between Yb3+ and Er3+ in this system have been demonstrated. Upon 980 nm laser excitation, the intense green and red emission around 527, 553, and 664 nm were observed for BaLa2ZnO5:Er3+/Yb3+, which can be assigned to the characteristic energy level transitions of 2H11/2 → 4I15/2, 4S3/2 → 4I15/2, and 4F9/2 → 4I15/2 of Er3+, respectively. The critical Er3+ quenching concentration (QC) was determined to be about 5 mol%, and the power studies indicated that mixture of 2- and 3-photon process was responsible for the green and red upconversion luminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpha, beta, gamma, and delta hydroxyl ferric oxides (FeOOH), as the most common rust layers on iron surface, play different roles in iron preservation. Using modern surface analysis technologies such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectra (IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we studied the interactions between these four types of synthetic FeOOH and phosphoric and tannic acid of different concentrations and proportions. A 3% tannic acid + 10% phosphoric acid + FeOOH was the most suitable formula for rust stabilizer and its reaction products were made up of iron phosphate and chelate of iron and tannin. This research provided technical basis in distinguishing FeOOH and selecting rust layer stabilizer for the preservation of iron, especially iron cultural relics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An anti-defect engineering strategy, inspired by photocatalytic and photovoltaic materials, was proposed to develop high-efficiency phosphors in whitlockite families. Significant enhancement of photoluminescence intensity (2.46 times), thermal stability (87.92% at 150 °C), cathodoluminescence intensity (3.34 times), quantum efficiency (IQE sharply up to nearly 100%) were simultaneously realized by constructing a rigid structure and removing vacancy defects. The developed phosphors exhibited promising applications in the fields of warm-white LEDs, plant growth lighting and information security. [Display omitted] • Anti-defect engineering strategy is proposed to develop high-efficiency phosphors. • The internal quantum yield is sharply improved from 38.90% to 99.07%. • The mechanism of improvement is revealed by defect-related characterizations. • DFT calculation shows the positive role of Debye temperature and alkali metal ions. • Promising applications in warm-white LEDs / plant-growth lighting are demonstrated. Lacking an effective strategy to simultaneously address the challenges of quantum efficiency, luminescence intensity and thermal stability has become the key bottleneck for further development and large-scale application of solid-state lighting technology. Herein, inspired by the defect-engineering used in photoelectrocatalytic and photovoltaic materials, we acted in a diametrically opposite way and unprecedentedly proposed an anti-defect engineering strategy to develop high-efficiency phosphors. By constructing a rigid structure and introducing alkali metals M to remove cation vacancy defects, similar to building blocks and jigsaw puzzle, we developed three groups of whitlockite phosphors, namely Ca 3- x Sr x (PO 4) 2 :Ce3+, Ca 3 (PO 4) 2 :Ce3+, M and (Ca 0.5 Sr 0.5) 3 (PO 4) 2 :Ce3+,Na+,Mn2+, and synchronously realized the significant enhancement of photoluminescence intensity (2.46 times), thermal stability (87.92% at 150 °C), cathodoluminescence intensity (3.34 times), quantum yield (from 38.90% to 99.07%). We characterized the defect concentration by positron annihilation technique (PAT), and calculated Debye temperature (ΘD) and simulated the occupation of M according to DFT theory to reveal the improvement mechanism. Some advanced applications were also explored in this work, including warm-white LEDs, plant growth lighting and information security. The anti-defect engineering proposed in this work may contribute to the further development of high-efficiency phosphors for the next-generation smart solid-state lighting technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A visible-light-active TiO2−x N x photocatalyst was synthesized in electric field. The N-doping TiO2 film had a thickness of about 70–80nm. The results of the photocatalytic experiments showed that the vis-activity rose largely. XPS and XRD analysis implied that the doping N substituted the oxygen-deficient in TiO2 film. The Einstein shift in optical absorption spectrum of the N-doped film was also observed by the UV–VIS with a cut wave length of about 550nm. Based on the experiment, it could be concluded that the N doping is effective to narrow the gap and enhance the photocatalysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Rare earth doped luminescent sensing materials as non-contact thermometers have attracted extensive research interests due to their wide applications in areas like military, medical care, aerospace, etc. How to expand the working temperature range and improve the sensitivity has become the focus. In this work, we synthesized a series of apatite-structured luminescent temperature sensors M 2 La 7.9 Ce 0.1 (SiO 4) 6 O 2 (M = Ca, Sr, Ba) via isomorphic substitution. By monitoring the differential changes of emission intensities from Ce3+ at the 7-coordinate and 9-coordinate site respectively when temperature varies, the real-time temperature can be determined. These materials were proven to possess the maximum absolute sensitivity up to 0.825 × 10−3 K−1, 2.63 × 10−3 K−1 and 4.33 × 10−3 K−1, respectively. Meanwhile interesting regular patterns were observed for their temperature sensitivities with the substitution of Ca, Sr and Ba. Furthermore, through studying the temperature sensitivity of Ba 2 La 8 (SiO 4) 6 O 2 : x Ce3+ samples with different concentrations, it was found that when the Ce3+ content was at the optimal doping concentration of 0.7, the absolute sensitivity of the sample reached 14.64 × 10−3 K−1 at 573 K. This finding has opened up a new avenue for designing fluorescent temperature sensors. Synopsis: In this work, Ce3+ were doped into a series of phosphor-structured matrices containing two cationic sites (7-coordinated Ce1 and 9-coordinated Ce2 sites) via the solid-state high-temperature method. Due to the different temperature dependencies of luminescence intensities between the two Ce3+ sites, their intensity ratio could be used for temperature calibration. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) commonly undergoes doping with various dopants, leading to the emergence of new properties. In this study, HAP is co-doped by terbium (Tb) and europium (Eu) to impart HAP with photoluminescent properties. By controlling the Tb3+ amount to 7.5 × 10−5 mol unchanged, it is observed that when the doping amount of Eu3+ reaches 4.0 × 10−5 mol, the band gap measures 3.919 eV, with maximum fluorescence intensity. Notably, a dipole-dipole energy transfer type from Tb3+ to Eu3 was identified during this process. Concentration quenching occurs when the Eu3+ amount exceeds 4.0 × 10−5 mol. In addition, the Tb3+ and Eu3+ co-doped HAP demonstrates excellent thermal stability and a more comprehensive emission wavelength range than Tb3+-doped HAP or Eu3+-doped HAP. Considering these properties, Tb3+ and Eu3+ co-doped HAP phosphor and aramid/polyphenylene sulfide (ACFs/PPS) fiber paper are organically compounded, resulting in functional fabrics with excellent low-temperature stability. These available fabrics are made of luminescent crystals and fibers can be applied in fields such as high-performance textile testing. Notably, when a specific laser irradiates the damaged area of the textile, fluorescence is not detected by the detector. Moreover, Tb3+ and Eu3+ co-doped HAP has also been shown to be used in the light-emitting diode (LED) to produce the HAP-LED that emits warm white light without commercial phosphors. That expands the application of HAP in anti-counterfeiting, flexible wearables, high-performance textile testing, and semiconductor devices. The color-tunable Tb3+ and Eu3+ co-doped HAP is prepared by hydrothermal synthesis co-precipitation. The energy transfer process between Tb3+ and Eu3+ is proved and the application possibility of Tb3+ and Eu3+ co-doped HAP in fluorescence anti-counterfeiting and LED is discovered. [Display omitted] • The energy transfer mechanism of Tb3+ and Eu3+ in HAP was studied. • By controlling the doping amount of Eu3+, the fluorescence color of Tb3+ and Eu3+ co-doped HAP was tunable. • It expands the application of hydroxyapatite in fluorescent anti-counterfeiting and LED. • HAP exhibited excellent stability when combined with fibers for anti-counterfeiting applications. • The LED emitting bright white light was prepared by using Tb3+ and Eu3+ co-doped HAP without commercial phosphor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryolite-type materials have advantages of low phonon energy, easy rare-earth ion doping, and stable physicochemical properties, and they are considered ideal matrices for up-converting luminescent materials. In this paper, a series of K 3 LuF 6 :Er3+,Yb3+ up-converting materials with cryolite structure were prepared for the first time by high-temperature solid-phase method. The compositions, structures and luminescent properties were systematically characterized by X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fluorescence spectroscopy (PL). Under 980 nm excitation, the sample emission spectra mainly consisted of green and red emission bands with peaks at 525, 546 and 662 nm, corresponding to the 2H 11/2 -4I 15/2 , 4S 3/2 -4I 15/2 and 4F 9/2 -4I 15/2 electron transitions of Er3+, respectively. In addition, the temperature sensing characteristics of two thermally coupled energy levels (2H 2/11 and 4S 3/2) were studied based on the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) technique in the range of 79–579 K. All the results show that K 3 LuF 6 :Er3+/Yb3+ up-converting luminescent materials have excellent temperature sensing performance in the ultra-wide temperature range and have broad application prospects in the field of temperature sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What ideal w-LED phosphors always aim to do is to achieve a single phase near-sunlight emission phosphor simultaneously with both high luminescence efficiency and high thermal stability at operation temperature. And It is well known that apatite compound phosphors are one of the most promising optical materials to realize those above because of their unique structure enhanced luminescence properties and thermal stability. Here, we synthesized a co-doped single phase apatite phosphors Ca2La8(SiO4)6O2:Dy3+/Sm3+ (CLSO:Dy3+/Sm3+) for white light emission, which was provided with excellent thermal stability and of which luminescence intensity at 150 °C still was 92 percentage of that at room temperature. Moreover, X-ray diffraction technique, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope were employed to characterization of phase structure and morphology, and consequently pure apatite structure and gravel-like morphology of phosphors were proved. Analysis of photoluminescence spectra indicated that concentration quenching effect exist in single-doped CLSO:Dy3+ phosphors owing to dipole-dipole interaction between Dy3+ ions. It is revealed that maybe exist Dy3+ ↔ Sm3+ bilateral non-radiative energy transfer processes in Dy3+/Sm3+ co-doped CLSO system by PL spectra and decay curves. And variation of Sm3+ ion concentration can control color emission, namely CIE chromaticity coordinates and correlated color temperature, finally to achieve white light emission (0.309,0.309) with CCT 6848 K, able to be a potential candidate for commercial lighting applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A set of Eu3+, Dy3+ and Tb3+ doped novel scheelite-type LiCaGd(WO 4) 3 (LCGW)-based phosphors was prepared via a conventional solid-state reaction method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, characteristics of luminescence, PL thermostability, decay lifetimes, as well as CIE coordination were investigated to characterize the as-prepared samples in detail. The XRD analysis indicated that the Eu3+, Dy3+ and Tb3+ ions were incorporated into the LCGW host lattice. Under the ultraviolet radiation, the characteristic emission lines of Eu3+ (5D 0 –7F 2), Dy3+ (4F 9/2 –6H 13/2) and Tb3+ (5D 4 –7F 5) ions were observed. The Eu3+ and Tb3+ single-doped LCGW fluorescent powders showed bright red and green emissions, respectively, without concentration quenching. As well as the Dy3+ doped LCGW phosphors radiate a strong yellow light at optimal Dy3+ concentration 0.08 mol. The efficient energy transfer phenomenon was observed for the Eu3+/Dy3+ and Tb3+/Dy3+ ions. The emission color of the LCGW: x Tb3+/0.08Dy3+ samples was tuned from yellow (0.4074, 0.4727) to green (0.3604, 0.5521) via adjusting the Tb3+ concentration. The emission color of LCGW: y Eu3+/0.08Dy3+ can be tuned from yellow (0.491, 0.3856) to red (0.5694, 0.3512) by variation of the Eu3+/Dy3+ ratio. Additionally, the thermal stability of the luminescence in the LCGW phosphors doped by Eu3+, Tb3+, Dy3+ ions was studied. The results verified that the LCGW:Ln3+ (Ln = Tb, Eu, Dy) phosphors are promising for applications in white LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is one of the core reaction modules of important renewable energy technologies with applications in water splitting, metal-air (oxygen) cells and regenerative fuel cells. However, OER catalysts are forced to operate with a significant intrinsic overpotential and inefficient charge transfer due to the adsorption energy scaling balance between the reaction intermediates. It is critical to develop an understanding of structure-activity relationship of catalysts, determine the speed control steps and improve catalytic activity. In this work, cobalt pentlandite (Co , Ni , Fe) 9 S 8 (CNFS) electrocatalysts were successfully prepared by combining the earth-abundant transition metal elements Co, Ni and Fe into a single structure. Benefiting from the structure, nanoflower morphology, and the synergistic effect among the three elements, the optimized sample requires an overpotential of only 335 mV to drive a current density of 50 mA cm–2 under alkaline conditions. The experimental results establish a composition-structure-function relationship, and the density functional theory results further indicate that the Fe sites bind more moderately to the intermediates and the electron synergistic effect occurs dynamically during the OER cycle reaction. This work not only provides a very promising catalyst candidate for efficient OER processes but also highlights the superiority of the cobalt pentlandite structure in the rational design of efficient OER electrocatalysts. • We synthesized natural mineral structures of cobalt pentlandite (Co,Ni,Fe) 9 S 8 structured OER catalysts. • Synergistic effect among the Co, Ni and Fe accelerates charge transfer and results in superior catalytic activity. • DFT calculations illustrate that the cobalt pentlandite (Co,Ni,Fe) 9 S 8 have an active OER site at the interface Fe site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel luminescent emission-tunable phosphors Mg 2 La 8 (SiO 4 ) 6 O 2 :Ce 3+ ,Tb 3+ (MLS:Ce 3+ ,Tb 3+ ) have been prepared by a solid-state reaction. The phase formation was firstly confirmed through X-ray diffraction technique and refined by the Rietveld method. The MLS:Ce 3+ ,Tb 3+ phosphors, which crystallized in apatite-type hexagonal phase, exhibited a broad excitation band ranging from 200 to 400 nm and several emission bands centered at 426 nm and 551 nm. Energy transfer from Ce 3+ to Tb 3+ ions via a dipole-dipole mechanism occurred in the as-synthesized phosphors upon ultraviolet (UV) excitation. The energy transfer efficiency increases with increasing doping content of Tb 3+ ions, which was confirmed by the luminescence spectra and fluorescence decay curves of corresponding ions simultaneously. The energy transfer critical distance was calculated and evaluated by both the concentration quenching and spectral overlap methods. The chromaticity of emission-tunable phosphors was also characterized by the Commission International de l'éclairage (CIE) chromaticity indexes, and the color tone can be tuned from blue (0.179, 0.122) to green (0.267, 0.408) by controlling the ratio of Ce 3+ /Tb 3+ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The constructed high-efficient cyan-emitting phosphors establish a bifunctional platform involving high-color-quality lighting and anti-counterfeiting application. [Display omitted] • Ca 8 ZnY(PO 4) 7 :Eu2+ phosphors exhibited a broad cyan-emitting spectra (FWHM = 78 nm). • The quantum yield of Ca 8 ZnY(PO 4) 7 :Eu2+ phosphor is as high as 72.11 %. • The CRI value of warm w -LED devices was greatly enhanced from 83.9 to 90.5. • The transparent anticounterfeiting film held great potentials in packaging field. Constructing the broad-band emitting luminescent materials with high quantum yield is of great significance towards their widespread applications. Herein, series of Eu2+ activated, whitlockite-type Ca 8 ZnY(PO 4) 7 phosphors are developed towards bifunctional platform involving the white LED and anti-counterfeiting field. Benefiting from the typical 5d-4f transitions among Eu2+ ions, the broad asymmetric cyan-emission spectra (FWHM = 78 nm) is generated under 365 nm excitation with a highest quantum yield of ∼72.11 %. The optimal doping concentration of Eu2+ ions in the Ca 8 ZnY(PO 4) 7 host is determined as 4 % and the concentration quenching mechanism is mainly attributed to a dipole–dipole interaction. Impressively, after exploiting the newly discovered cyan-emitting phosphors Ca 8 ZnY(PO 4) 7 :Eu2+, the CRI value of as-prepared warm w -LED devices is remarkably enhanced from 83.9 to 90.5. Moreover, the w -LED exhibits an applicable correlated color temperature (CCT = 4176 K) and good color stability. Additionally, the transparent anticounterfeiting film is fabricated based on the highly efficient phosphors and soluble PVA, which presents anticounterfeiting performances due to their bright cyan emission upon UV light. Notably, their sustainability, excellent flexibility and foldability provide more possibilities applied for anticounterfeiting field. These results suggest the highly efficient phosphors Ca 8 ZnY(PO 4) 7 :Eu2+ are promising bifunctional luminescent platforms, for both high-color-quality lighting and anticounterfeiting applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, La 2 (MoO 4) 3 doped with Eu3+ was synthesized by the high-temperature solid-state method. The phase composition of the Eu3+-doped La 2 (MoO 4) 3 sample was confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis, and the microstructure was observed via the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Under the excitation at 211 nm, the room temperature emission spectra of Eu3+ in the samples with different doping levels were recorded. In addition, the prepared La 2 (MoO 4) 3 : x Eu3+ (x = 0–0.25) phosphors were color tunable. A non-contact optical thermometer with high sensitivity and high-temperature resolution was fabricated based on the different thermal quenching behaviors of the Mo–O group and Eu3+ center. The fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR), temperature resolution (ΔT), maximum absolute and relative sensor sensitivity (Sa and Sr) of La 2 (MoO 4) 3 :Eu3+ were calculated according to different thermal quenching effects between room temperature (298K) and 573K of Eu3+ and Mo–O group. These results show that La 2 (MoO 4) 3 :Eu3+ has excellent sensitivity and temperature resolution, good reversibility and reliability, as Sa = 0.0525 K-1, Sr = 0.3724. % K−1, ΔT = 0.0806 K and the FIR error was only 0.62%. Therefore, the Eu3+-doped La 2 (MoO 4) 3 is a promising candidate material for high performance non-contact optical thermometers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel green emission Whitlockite-type Ca8ZnLa(PO4)7:Eu2+ and color tunable Ca8ZnLa(PO4)7:Eu2+,Mn2+ phosphors were prepared by the solid-state reaction method in a reducing atmosphere. Its crystal structure and phase composition were identified by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected area electronic diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction Rietveld refinement, and it was found to be trigonal, belonging to R-3 c(161) space group. The luminescence properties of Eu2+ singly doped and Eu2+/Mn2+ codoped Ca8ZnLa(PO4)7 phosphors were revealed in detail. Ca8ZnLa(PO4)7:Eu2+ is excitable over a broad range from 200 to 450 nm with a prominent green emitting. With varied Eu2+/Mn2+ ratios, fine-tune emission under 365 nm excitation can be achieved from green (0.221, 0.468) to magenta (0.391, 0.276), especially the warm white light (0.392, 0.352), and CCT 3500 K can be obtained by the process of energy transfer between Eu2+ and Mn2+. The ET mechanism in this system is managed via the dipole-dipole interaction with the maximum energy-transfer efficiency 82.8% based on the decay lifetime data. These results suggest that as-prepared phosphors can serve as promising candidates of UV-pumped w- LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-phase Ba 10− x − y (PO 4 ) 6 O: x Eu 2+ , y Mn 2+ samples with apatite structure have been synthesized via a solid-state reaction method. The phase structure, luminescence properties, lifetime, PL thermal stability, as well as fluorescence decay curves of the samples were investigated. Effective energy transfer occurs from Eu 2+ to Mn 2+ in Ba 10 (PO 4 ) 6 O and a possible mechanism of the energy-transfer from Eu 2+ to Mn 2+ is proposed. The critical distances R c was calculated by concentration quenching and turned out to be about 0.817 nm ( x c =0.21). The CIE and thermally stable luminescence behaviors of Ba 9.94 (PO 4 ) 6 O:0.06Eu 2+ phosphor were also studied in detail. All the results indicate that Ba 10− x − y (PO 4 ) 6 O: x Eu 2+ , y Mn 2+ phosphors have potential applications as near UV-convertible phosphors for white light-emitting diodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the application potential of Cr3+ doped near-infrared (NIR) fluoride phosphors excited by blue light is promising. However, the development of near-infrared fluoride phosphors with wider emission bandwidth remains a challenge. Herein, we employed the hydrothermal method to prepare K 2 NaCrF 6 :Fe3+ phosphors. Upon excitation at 432 nm, the K 2 NaCrF 6 :xFe3+ phosphors exhibited broad near-infrared emission, with the main peak ranging from 752 nm to 780 nm. As the Fe3+ concentration increased, the luminescence intensity of the K 2 NaCrF 6 :xFe3+ phosphor decreased, accompanied by a redshift in the emission band and an increase in the full width of the emission spectrum half-peak. These changes can be attributed to the dipole-dipole interaction, specifically the energy transfer between Fe3+ and Cr3+, leading to the 4T 2 (4F) → 4A 2 (Cr3+) and 4T 1 (4G) → 6A 1 (6S) (Fe3+) transitions. • K 2 NaCrF 6 :Fe3+ phosphors display application potential for near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence when excited by blue light. • The developed phosphors exhibit a broad near-infrared emission bandwidth (752–780 nm) under 432 nm excitation. • Increasing Fe3+ concentration leads to redshift and broadening of the emission spectrum. • Luminescent changes are attributed to dipole-dipole interactions and efficient energy transfer. • Cr3+ and Fe3+ enables synchronous excitation processes, offering versatility for applications in spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel luminescent phosphors Sr 10 (PO 4 ) 6 O:Eu 2+ with apatite structure were synthesized via a high temperature solid-state reaction. The phase structure, photoluminescence (PL) properties, the PL thermal stability, as well as the fluorescence decay curves of the samples were investigated to characterize the resulting samples, and the selected Sr 9.97 (PO 4 ) 6 O:0.03Eu 2+ phosphor exhibits strong thermal quenching resistance, retaining the luminance of 88.73% at 150 °C. The quenching concentration of Eu 2+ in Sr 10 (PO 4 ) 6 O was about 0.03 attributing to the dipole–quadrupole interaction. The Sr 10 (PO 4 ) 6 O:Eu 2+ phosphor exhibited a broad-band blue emission at 439 nm upon excitation at 346 nm. The results indicate that Sr 10 (PO 4 ) 6 O:Eu 2+ phosphors have potential applications as near UV-convertible phosphors for white-light UV LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of new luminescent emission-tunable phosphors Sr 2 La 8 (SiO 4 ) 6 O 2 :Ce 3+ , Tb 3+ with apatite structure have been synthesized by a high temperature solid-state reaction. The phase structure, photoluminescence emission and excitation spectra, lifetime, as well as the effect of Tb 3+ concentration are investigated to characterize the resulting samples. The critical distance was calculated to be 8.26 Å by using the concentration quenching method. The intense green emission was observed in the Sr 2 La 8 (SiO 4 ) 6 O 2 :Ce 3+ , Tb 3+ phosphors on the basis of the efficient energy transfer from Ce 3+ to Tb 3+ with an efficiency of 68.55%. And a possible mechanism of the energy-transfer from Ce 3+ to Tb 3+ ion is also proposed. The results indicate that Sr 2 La 8 (SiO 4 ) 6 O 2 :Ce 3+ , Tb 3+ phosphors have potential applications to be used as near UV-convertible phosphors for white light-emitting diodes because of the broad excitation in the near-ultraviolet range and the efficient green emission light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SrIn2O4, which shows lower phonon energy than CaIn2O4, is not only a good photocatalyst but also can be an excellent up-conversion (UC) host to exhibits UC luminescence. In this work, Yb3+ and/or Er3+ doped SrIn2O4 phosphors were synthesized, and their UC luminescence properties were studied and compared with those in the CaIn2O4 host. The structure of SrIn2O4: 0.01Er3+ and SrIn2O4: 0.1Yb3+/0.01Er3+ samples were refined by the Rietveld method and found to that SrIn2O4: 0.1Yb3+/0.01Er3+ showed increasing unit cell parameters and cell volume, indicating In3+ sites were substituted successfully by Yb3+ and/or Er3+ ions. From the UC luminescence spectra and diffuse reflection spectra, Er3+-doped SrIn2O4 showed very weak luminescence due to ground state absorption of Er3+; Yb3+/Er3+ codoped SrIn2O4 presented strong green (550 nm) and red (663 nm) UC emissions which were assigned to energy transfer from Yb3+ transition 2F7/2→2F5/2 to the Er3+ transition 4S3/2 → 4I15/2 and 4F9/2 → 4I15/2. Comparing with CaIn2O4, Yb3+/Er3+ codoped SrIn2O4 showed obvious advantages with higher UC luminescent intensity. The pumping powers study showed that UC emissions in Yb3+/Er3+ codoped SrIn2O4 were attributed to energy transfer of Yb3+→Er3+ with a two-photon process. The possible UC luminescent mechanism of Yb3+/Er3+-doped SrIn2O4 was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyroxene‐type phosphors were widely developed due to the advantages of high chemical stability, luminous efficiency, and low production cost. In this contribution, a series of Eu2+/Tb3+ co‐doped Ca0.75Sr0.2Mg1.05Si2O6 (CSMS) phosphors with pyroxene structure were successfully synthesized by the solid‐state method. Under the 340 nm excitation, the emission peaks of the phosphor show a redshift with the increase of Eu2+ concentration. The emitting color of Eu2+/Tb3+ co‐doped samples shows a redshift attributed to the energy transfer from Eu2+ to Tb3+. Simultaneously, acquired thermometer exposes superbly temperature‐sensitive properties (Sa and Sr having maximum values 4.7% K−1 and 0.6% K−1, respectively) over the cryogenic temperature range (77–280 K). Furthermore, it has good stability and precision at cryogenic temperatures, indicating that CSMS:0.03Eu2+/0.03Tb3+ phosphor is a very promising fluorescent material suitable for cryogenic temperature sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lanthanide-doped fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) temperature measurement technology for detecting inaccessible objects has attracted the attention of many scholars. In fact, FIR technology can achieve high-precision and non-contact temperature measurement, which is widely used in the biomedical and industrial fields, among others. In this study, novel pyroxene-type CaScAlSiO 6 :Tb3+/Sm3+ ceramics (CSAC) were synthesized using the traditional high-temperature solid-phase method, with the crystal structure, energy transfer mechanism, and optical behavior of the ceramics subsequently studied in detail. The use of 5D 4 →7F 5 and 4G 5/2 → 6H 7/2 (I 544nm /I 602nm) energy level transitions as an optical thermometer has great potential, with the maximum absolute and relative sensitivity of the sensor found to be 0.1403 K−1 and 1.65%K−1, respectively. In addition, the material was cycled three times in the temperature range of 77–287 K and demonstrated a particularly high degree of credibility, with the luminous intensity having a particularly small effect on the temperature changes. Overall, the results indicate that the green-light-emitting CSAC:0.08Tb3+/0.01Sm3+ ceramic has great potential for use in optical cryothermometers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Color-tunable manganese/europium/tellurium-doped halide perovskites are synthesized and can be used to post processing fibers for LEDs and anti-counterfeiting and detection materials. [Display omitted] • Color-tunable manganese/europium/tellurium-doped halide perovskites are synthesized. • Perovskites are composited with flexible fibers to prepare luminescent fibers. • The perovskite crystals can be used to fabricate light-emitting diode lamps. • Expanding the application of compound flexible fiber and perovskite. All-inorganic metal halide perovskites exhibit excellent optoelectronic properties, and cesium lead halide perovskites have been the most extensively studied perovskites. Despite their excellent performance, the toxicity of CsPbX 3 (X = halide) perovskites is a significant hurdle in the path of their widespread commercialization, posing challenges for large-scale applications. The lead-free characteristic and inherent air stability of Cs 2 NaBiX 6 render them promising alternatives to CsPbX 3 perovskites. Herein, we report the lead-free double perovskite crystals (PCs) derived from Cs 2 NaBiCl 6 incorporating doping with three distinct elements. This doping strategy effectively regulates the emission wavelength of Cs 2 NaBiCl 6 , with particular emphasis on Eu-doped and Te-doped Cs 2 NaBiCl 6 , which have been scarcely reported in previous studies. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been fabricated by these perovskite crystals. The white LED was prepared by Mn-doped Cs 2 NaBiCl 6 with a high color rendering index (CRI) of 95.5. In addition, fiber paper, composed of aramid chopped fibers (ACFs) and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), exhibits sustained fluorescence characteristics in different environments under an ultraviolet lamp when post-processed with perovskite. The photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of flexible luminescent fibers prepared from Cs 2 (NaBi) 0.95 Mn 0.10 Cl 6 PCs and ACFs/PPS fibers can reach 18.27 %. This fluorescent fiber paper holds potential applications in fields such as fluorescent anti-counterfeiting and intelligent wearable devices. By irradiating with a specific wavelength of the laser, the damaged area of fiber textiles can be quickly detected based on changes in fluorescence intensity. The integration of luminescent crystals and fibers into functional fabrics opens avenues for utilization in high-performance textile testing and other domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The series of novel phosphors Ca 9 La(PO 4) 5 [(Si 1- x Ge x O 4)]F 2 :0.15Dy3+ with x = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1 (CLPS 1- x G x F:0.15Dy3+) with apatite-type structure (space group P 6 3 / m) has been synthesized. The crystal structure and electronic structure have been studied by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) in combination with the atomic-scale density functional theory (DFT) calculations. A combination of Raman, nuclear magnetic resonance (29Si NMR) spectroscopy and the evolution of Dy3+ ions photoluminescent properties was used to characterize the local crystal structure features. Based on the variation of the [SiO 4 ] by [GeO 4 ] tetrahedral substitutions in the apatite-type structure, the difference in the thermal stability and decay curves of CLPS 1- x G x F:0.15Dy3+ phosphors were referred to crystal chemical stability of as-prepared compounds, which is also confirmed by the values of polyhedral distortion, bond valence sum (BVS) and DFT calculations. The present study provides new insights the synthetic methodology and fundamental characterizations into the design of new phosphors combined with theoretical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We synthesized Tb3+-doped Cs 4 MnBi 2 Cl 12 perovskite crystals by the crystallization. These PCs have extremely strong PL intensity and stability at high temperatures, sunshine and low temperature. The Tb3+-doped Cs 4 MnBi 2 Cl 12 PCs have excellent luminescent properties and stability and can be used in luminous composite fibers and white LED devices field. [Display omitted] • Experiment under normal pressure environment, cost reduction and facile operation. • The Cs 4 Mn(Bi 1- x Tb x) 2 Cl 12 PCs have excellent stability in air. • The PCs have a excellent fluorescence performance with a PLQY of 25.45%. • The PCs were applied to ACFs/PPS composite paper with orange emission. • The composite paper can maintain stability in different real environments. In recent years, all-inorganic perovskites have attracted considerable research attention. However, the advancement of lead-based perovskites has encountered substantial challenges, redirecting current research efforts toward lead-free alternatives. In this study, we synthesized novel Cs 4 MnBi 2 Cl 12 perovskite crystals at 80 °C. Furthermore, Tb3+ ions were introduced to enhance the fluorescence properties and stability of the as-prepared perovskite crystals (PCs). The photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of Tb3+-doped PCs was 25.45 % (∼598 nm), making a two-fold increase compared with the original PCs. In the PCs, [BiCl 6 ]3− octahedrons serve as energy collectors, generating excitons, while [MnCl 6 ]4− octahedrons function as luminescence centers of the receptor. Owing to their entirely inorganic composition, the PCs exhibited exceptional stability under sunlight and across a wide range of temperatures. Finally, we applied the PCs to fiber composite paper and an light-emitting diode (LED) device, which retained their specific stability after the modification. The findings of this study offer nover insight for incorporating perovskites into fiber applications and optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-reduction of Eu3+ was realized in three-dimensional BaMgP 2 O 7 host using the energy-saving method in air environment. Incorporating charge compensators Li+/K+ can precisely control the self-reduction process, and its mechanism was elucidated using a charge compensation model. Furthermore, this work explored some advanced applications, such as plant growth, fingerprint visualization, and screen printing. [Display omitted] • Eu3+ self-reduction was achieved in three-dimensional pyrophosphate under atmospheric without hazardous gas. • Hetero-valence Eu2+/Eu3+ are obtained and luminescent properties were investigated. • Controlling high-valent ions' self-reduction using Li+/K+ charge compensators. • Advanced applications such as plant growth, fingerprint visualization, and screen printing are explored. • Ecofriendly luminescent materials are pivotal for advancing phosphor applications. The exploitation of ecofriendly luminescent materials is crucial for advancing phosphor applications. Herein, Eu3+ self-reduction was performed using the energy-saving high-temperature solid-phase method in air environment. Achieving controllable self-reduction is challenging for high-valent rare-earth and transition metal ions. Therefore, we incorporate charge compensators, such as Li+/K+ to control the reaction and obtain hetero-valent Eu2+/Eu3+. Experimental results indicate that charge compensators can eliminate vacancies, suppress self-reduction, and affect luminescence properties. Moreover, a nonequivalent substitution mechanism about self-reduction using a charge compensation model is discussed here. Notably, Eu2+ shows a strong blue narrow-band emission peak at 410 nm with a full width at half maxima of 34 nm, overlapping well with that of chlorophyll. The phosphors are nontoxic and exhibit high contrast under ultraviolet light, which can be utilized for forensic science detection. The precisely controllable self-reduction of phosphors can contribute to the development of next-generation smart and green materials. Advanced applications of the phosphors for plant growth, fingerprint visualization, and screen printing are also explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light and stress dual-responsive piezoelectric semiconductor NaNbO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 heterojunction exhibits excellent water flow weak force-driven piezo-photocatalytic degradation of various antibiotics and drugs. [Display omitted] • NaNbO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 heterojunction were prepared by high-energy wet ball-milling. • The formation of heterojunction allows an intimate interfacial interaction. • It exhibits excellent water flow-triggered piezo-photocatalytic activity. • Piezo-photocatalytic TC degradation efficiency reaches 87.3 % within only 10 min. • Polarization and heterojunction synergistically promotes photocharge separation. Photocatalysis is a green and sustainable technology for pollution control, but has the disadvantage of fast recombination of photogenerated charges. Piezocatalysis has recently been widely studied for environmental purification, while it always involves the high-frequency ultrasonic vibration that inevitably causes high energy consumption. In this work, a water flow weak force-driven piezo-photocatalytic system that integrates light and stress dual-responsive components is developed in NaNbO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 heterojunction. As piezoelectric semiconductors with both piezoelectric and semiconducting properties, the piezoelectric polarization field of NaNbO 3 and g-C 3 N 4 induced by high-speed stirring not only produces strong polarization, but also directly triggers efficient piezocatalysis, and the spatial separation of interfacial carriers is accompanied by the formation of type-II heterojunction. The above merits endow NaNbO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 with outstanding water flow-triggered piezo-photocatalytic degradation for various antibiotics and drugs, including tetracycline hydrochloride (TC), oxytetracycline (OXY), ciprofloxacin (CIP), chloramphenicol (CHL), and paracetamol (PAR). Specifically, the TC degradation efficiency reaches up to 87.3 % within only 10 min, which makes it one of the best piezo-photocatalysts, even exceeding those irradiated by ultrasound. This work may open up a reference perspective for the engineering design of dual-active piezo-photocatalyst systems, and for the in-situ purification of diversified wastewaters on the basis of hydrodynamic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous geopolymers are energy saving, environment-friendly and simple in preparation. However, the thermal conductivity (TC) of present porous geopolymers as well as other inorganic thermal insulation materials can be hardly below 0.050 W m-1 K-1 in the markets. In order to further decrease the TC of porous geopolymers, it is vital to understand the heat transfer mechanism of this type of materials. In this work, we made a comparison among the main heat transfer models for porous two-component system reported so far including series model, parallel model, geometric mean model, Maxwell-Eucken equation, Hashin spherical structure model and novel effective medium theory (NEMT) based on the data reported in references and obtained by our group for porous geopolymers, and found that NEMT could describe the heat transfer mechanism of porous geopolymers better. Then we systematically studied the relationship among the effective TC (k e), porosity (ε), TC of solid skeleton (k s) and TC of the uniform medium reflecting the heat conduction of the solid skeleton to air (k m) based on the calculations with NEMT. It was found that it is essential to increase ε and decrease k s and k m for reducing the TC of porous geopolymers. Under the guidance of above calculations, we successfully designed and obtained some porous geopolymers with TC as low as 0.040 W m-1 K-1. This paper offers not only several porous geopolymers with low TC, but also an idea to design novel thermal insulation materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallic 1T MoS2 greatly benefits the supercapacitance of MoS2 due to its considerably higher conductivity as compared to semiconducting 2H MoS2. Alkali metals, such as Li, Na and K, are always used to prepare 1T MoS2 through intercalation of alkali metal ions into the interlayer of 2H MoS2. Nevertheless, the influences of the alkali-earth metals as the guest in the interlayer of MoS2 on its structure and electrochemical capacitor performance are rarely investigated. Herein, we introduced hydrated Mg ions as the guest into MoS2 nanosheets. The interlayer spacing was increased to 1.144 nm after the introduction of hydrated Mg ions, larger than that of the pristine MoS2 (0.620 nm) and restacking MoS2 (0.626 nm). The enlarged interlayer spacing can accommodate more ions during intercalation process. Moreover, the 1T phase concentration after the introduction of hydrated Mg ions was as high as ~ 90%, which benefits the charge transfer during the charging/discharging processes. Consequently, the specific capacitance of the MoS2 with Mg guest ions as well as the energy densities and power densities was greatly improved as compared to those of the restacking MoS2 or pristine MoS2 counterparts. The present work not only demonstrated a new strategy for engineering the physical properties and improving the electrochemical performance of MoS2 supercapacitor electrode through pre-intercalation of alkali-earth metal ions in the interlayer of MoS2, but also has directive significance for the design of other layered electrode materials for energy storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Inorganic thermal insulation material with triple-hierarchical pores was designed. • A special heat treatment method was used to create different size of pores. • The density decreased by ∼15% and thermal conductivity decreased by ∼10%. • Softening coefficient (water resistance) was remarkably improved by ∼80%. Inorganic thermal insulation materials are incombustible, cheap, and perdurable, and can thus effectively avoid such shortcomings of organic materials. Nevertheless, the physical properties, such as thermal conductivity and apparent density, are usually not as good as the organic thermal insulation materials. In present work, we designed and synthesized a new kind of inorganic thermal insulation material with admirable and intriguing triple-hierarchical porous structures by combining the ambient temperature foam method and simple heat treatment. The final products contained triple-hierarchical pores in the range of hundreds of microns, several microns to tens of microns, and submicrons to several microns. Compared to products without heat treatment, the apparent density of this kind of inorganic thermal insulation material was 0.148 g·cm−3, which decreased by 15%, and the compressive strength was 0.30 MPa; the thermal conductivity reached 0.047 W· m −1· K −1 which reduced by 10%, and the softening coefficient (the ratio of the samples' strength under saturation with that in dry condition) was improved from 0 to ∼80%. Therefore, this work not only provided a new type of thermal insulation material with hierarchical pores, but also has great significance for the design of inorganic thermal insulation materials with high performance. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ce3+ doped K 3 LuF 6 powders have been successfully elaborated via high-temperature solid state method. The structural and luminescent properties of these cryolite-type K 3 LuF 6 : x Ce3+ (x = 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, 0.10 and 0.13) phosphors have been investigated into detail. The results indicate that all phases belong to the monoclinic system with P2 1 /n space group and lattice parameters a = 6.295 (4) Å, b = 6.497 (5) Å, c = 8.992 (6) Å, β = 90.91 (3) ° for x = 0.05. Ce3+ is considered to substitute for Lu3+ in the octahedral [LuF 6 ] sites. Under UV light excitation at 307 nm, the photoluminescence spectra of the samples present one broad band centered around 432 nm which belongs to the purplish-blue region. The color coordinates of this phase are calculated to (0.1565, 0.0956). The influence of Ce3+ content on the luminescence properties is also established and the concentration quenching mechanism is due to dipole-quadrupole Ce3+-Ce3+ interactions in K 3 LuF 6 :Ce3+. Rietveld refinement of XRD pattern and crystal structure of K 3 LuF 6 :0.05Ce3+ (left); The PL spectra of K 3 LuF 6 :xCe3+ (x = 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, 0.10, and 0.13) monitored by excitation at 307 nm and the inset is dependence of PL intensity on the Ce3+ doping content (right). Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is urgent and crucial to develop highly efficient broadband Near-infrared (NIR) phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (pc-LEDs) which are applied in tiny solid-state NIR light sources. However, a lot of NIR phosphors suffer from low quantum yield and poor thermal stability in recent years. Hereon, the solid-state reaction synthesis process was used to create a new garnet Ca 2 GdZr 2 Ga 3 O 12 :Cr3+ (CGZG:Cr3+) phosphor, which can produce a broad range emission peak at (12,437 cm-1, 804 nm) with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of (67567 cm−1, 148 nm). At 373 °C, thermal stability was determined to be 76%, an IQE of 75% and an EQE of 26% was observed. When driving current at 150 mA and 320 mA, the device achieved the output power of 473 mW and 968 mW. The results demonstrate CGZG:Cr3+ phosphor-convert NIR LEDs have great potential for applications in night-vision and biomedical imaging NIR spectroscopy technology. • The Ca 2 GdZr 2 Ga 3 O 12 :Cr3+ is found ultra-broadband near-infrared photoluminescence with peak at 804nm.and FWHM 148 nm. • The Ca 2 GdZr 2 Ga 3 O 12 :Cr3+ near-infrared phosphors with the very high outpower 968 mW@320 mA. • The Ca 2 GdZr 2 Ga 3 O 12 :xCr3+ is promising for use in night-vision and biomedical imaging NIR spectroscopy technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A novel thermal insulation material was made utilizing perlite tailings. • A more energy-saving preparation method was conducted. • It showed low thermal conductivity (0.04 W·m−1·K−1) and density (0.102 g·cm−3). • The preparation technique reported in this paper is of application prospect. Abstract Installing thermal insulation materials on the external and/or interior wall is a primary means for the conservation of building energy. Expanded perlite is one of the most widely used inorganic building insulation materials nowadays. However, it not only consumes a large amount of energy in the fabricated process, but also produces a great deal of perlite tailings during the exploiting or smashing process. In this work, a new kind of light foamy thermal insulation materials were prepared utilizing perlite tailings by an energy-saving and environment-friendly method. The influences of each raw materials, including perlite/sodium silicate, H 2 O 2 , cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide and rock wool, on the physical properties (such as pores characters, thermal conductivity and mechanical strength) were discussed in detail based on the formation processes of the foamy thermal insulation materials. The optimized foamy materials showed low thermal conductivities (0.040–0.060 W·m−1·K−1) with low apparent densities (0.1–0.2 g cm−3) and relatively high mechanical strength (0.09–0.6 MPa). As compared with other reported inorganic thermal insulation materials, this new type of thermal insulation material was very light and exhibited much better heat-insulated performance. Therefore, this work not only proposed a new energy-saving method for obtaining a kind of promising non-flammability insulating materials, but also solved the problem of solid tailings utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Samarium (III) doped fluorapatite phosphors La 6- x Ba 4 (SiO 4 ) 6 F 2 : x Sm 3+ (LBSF: Sm 3+ ) were synthesized for the first time, via the conventional high-temperature solid-state method in the air atmosphere. The samples were measured by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy, i.e. emission and excitation spectra, as well as luminescence decay curves. The as-prepared samples can be excited in the range from 300–500 nm, centered at 404 nm. Photoluminescence measurements showed the emission spectra are composed of four sharp peaks characteristic of Sm 3+ ions, at about 565, 603, 650 and 711 nm. The critical concentration for quenching of Sm 3+ ions in the LBSF matrix is about 0.12 mol. According to the Dexter's theory, the mechanism of energy transfer between Sm 3+ ions was considered to be dipole-quadrupole (d-q) interactions, with the critical distance calculated by the concentration quenching method to 9.89 Å. Moreover, the temperature-dependent emission spectra showed that the as-prepared phosphors have good thermal stability, with an activation energy of about 0.161 eV. Finally, according to the CIE coordination, the phosphor exhibited reddish-orange emission. Thanks to the mentioned favorable structural and optical properties, the Sm 3+ -doped La 6 Ba 4 (SiO 4 ) 6 F 2 phosphors have a potential application character, for the near ultraviolet white light emitting diodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manganese dioxides (MOs) are excellent microwave absorbing materials and have been used as substrates or catalysts for enhanced degradation of organic compounds. In this study, we extended our research on using birnessite (Birn), a type of MOs, for the degradation of tetracycline (TC) in aqueous solution under microwave induction (MI). The Birns were fabricated to achieve different ratios of Mn(II)/Mn(III)/Mn(IV) in the crystal structure. Their physical and chemical characteristics were determined by X-ray diffraction, field-emission environmental scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray absorption fine structure spectra, and a microwave network analyzer. Their removal of TC under MI was evaluated under different physicochemical conditions. Lower solution pH, higher MI power, and higher Mn(II) and Mn(III) in the structure resulted in more TC removal. And the Birns are regenerable. LC–MS analyses confirmed the presence of degradation intermediates. The better performances of TC removal by Birns under MI was attributed to the high magnetic spin moment of Mn(II) and Mn(III) in the structure that has higher MI response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LED occupies a broad market due to its many advantages as a fourth-generation solid-state light source. However, single-component white LED generally has the disadvantages of high coloring temperature, low thermal stability, and low luminous efficiency. In order to solve these problems, Gd 5 Si 2 BO 13 :Dy3+,Eu3+ was prepared by a high temperature solid state method using a newer borate matrix based on Gd 5 Si 2 BO 13. A colour-tunable warm white phosphor was achieved by energy transfer between Dy3+ and Eu3+. The crystal structure, luminescence characteristics, thermal stability of luminescence, fluorescence lifetime and energy transfer mechanism were systematically studied, and the samples obtained had excellent luminescence performance. Its thermal stability of 150 °C luminescence was 83.77%. By adjusting the ratio of Eu3+, its color changes from cool white light to warm white light and finally moves to red light. Its corresponding color temperature can be adjusted to a range of 5475k∼2128 K. The packaging w-LED application test and the application test of colorless fluorescent anti-counterfeiting printing ink were carried out, and both showed excellent performance. This is the first time that Dy3+ and Eu3+ have been studied in Gd 5 Si 2 BO 13 , further understanding the newer substrate Gd 5 Si 2 BO 13 , and promoting the application of single-component warm white LED. Therefore, Gd 5 Si 2 BO 13 :Dy3+,Eu3+ have good market application prospects. [Display omitted] • Through the energy transfer between Dy3+ and Eu3+, Gd 5 Si 2 BO 13 :Dy3+/Eu3+ shows excellent Warm white light performance. • The phosphor showed good luminescence thermal stability, UV stability and wet resistance stability. • The color temperature of the sample was adjusted from 5475K to 2128K by adjusting the doping concentration of Eu3+. • The LED application test with Gd 5 Si 2 BO 13 :Dy3+,Eu3+ package shows good performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-phase KLaSr3( PO4)3F: Sm3+ phosphors with fluorapatite structure were prepared via high-temperature solid-state method in air atmosphere for the first time. The X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, diffuse reflectance spectra, photoluminescence spectra, and temperature-dependent emission spectra, as well as lifetimes were measured to characterize the as-prepared phosphors. Phase results indicated that KLaSr3( PO4)3F: Sm3+ belongs to hexagonal system with a space group of P-6. Photoluminescence measurements showed the emission spectrum was composed of four sharp peaks at about 564, 602 (the strongest one), 646, and 702 nm, corresponding to the 4G5/2-6 H J ( J=5/2, 7/2, 9/2, and 11/2) transitions of Sm3+ ions. The optimum doping concentration of Sm3+ ions was turned out to be 0.03 (mol), and the mechanism of energy transfer among Sm3+ ions was considered to be dipole-dipole interaction by using Dexter's theory. In addition, the critical distance Rc for energy transfer among Sm3+ ions were calculated to be 9.97 Å according to Blasse concentration quenching method. The selected KLa0.97Sr( PO4)3F: 0.03Sm3+ exhibited high thermal stability with an activation energy of 0.163 eV. Besides, the Commission International de l'Eclairage chromaticity coordinate of the phosphor were located in the orange-reddish light region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tb 3+ -Sm 3+ co-doped Sr 9 Gd(PO 4 ) 5 (SiO 4 )F 2 (SGPSF) phosphors were prepared through a solid-state reaction, and their luminescence properties as well as energy transfer mechanism have been investigated in detail. The SGPSF:Tb 3+ , Sm 3+ phosphors system could be efficiently excited at wavelengths ranging from 200 to 500 nm, which is well matched with the spectra of near ultraviolet chips. The emission of SGPSF:Tb 3+ , Sm 3+ phosphor covers the entire visible region with sharp peaks in the blue, green, and red regions. The emission color of SGPSF:Tb 3+ , Sm 3+ could be adjusted from green (0.275, 0.378) to red (0.519, 0.295) by controlling the doping content of Sm 3+ /Tb 3+ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mn intercalated hydrotalcite was prepared using a reconstruction method. And Mn intercalation was confirmed by XRD, FTIR, and thermal analyses. The different valences of Mn were present as determined by XPS. Calcination slightly promoted the isomorphic replacement of Mn 2+ and Mn 3+ for Mg 2+ and Al 3+ , especially the replacement of Mn 2+ for Mg 2+ and Al 3+ , and to some extent, reduced Mn intercalation. Ultrasonic treatment significantly increased Mn intercalation in permanganate form (Mn 7+ ), and promoted the replacement of Mn 2+ for Mg 2+ and Al 3+ . XRF analysis showed that ultrasonic treatment decreased the unbalanced layer charge of Mn intercalated hydrotalcite, while prolonged calcination increased it. These results may provide guidance on the preparation and application of Mn intercalated hydrotalcite. Extended calcination time and ultrasonic vibration increased the interlayer spacing of hydrotalcite, as a result of reduction in layer charge. As the layer charge was not completely balanced after Mn intercalation, a certain amount of CO 3 2− was re-adsorbed into the interlayer space. Mn-hydrotalcites with different layer charges, different contents of Mn with varying valences are expected to have different performances in the process of adsorption, degradation, and catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a series of novel luminescent Sr 10− x (SiO 4 ) 3 (SO 4 ) 3 O: x Eu 2+ phosphors with apatite structure were synthesized by a high temperature solid-state reaction. The phase structure, photoluminescence (PL) properties, as well as the PL thermal stability were investigated. Sr 9.92 (SiO 4 ) 3 (SO 4 ) 3 O:0.08Eu 2+ phosphor exhibits better thermal quenching resistance, retaining the luminance of 66.55% at 150 °C compared with that at 25 °C. The quenching concentration of Eu 2+ in Sr 10 (SiO 4 ) 3 (SO 4 ) 3 O was about 0.08 (mol) with the dipole–quadrupole interaction. The Sr 10− x (SiO 4 ) 3 (SO 4 ) 3 O: x Eu 2+ phosphors exhibited a broad-band green emission at 538 nm upon excitation at 396 nm. The results indicate that Sr 10− x (SiO 4 ) 3 (SO 4 ) 3 O: x Eu 2+ phosphors have potential applications as near UV-convertible phosphors for white-light UV LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a series of novel luminescent Sr 1− x Al 12 O 19 : x Eu 2+ phosphors were synthesized by a high temperature solid-state reaction. The phase structure, photoluminescence (PL) properties, as well as the decay curves were investigated. The quenching concentration of Eu 2+ in SrAl 12 O 19 was about 0.15 (mol). Upon excitation at 378 nm, the composition-optimized Sr 0.85 Al 12 O 19 :0.15Eu 2+ exhibited strong broad-band green emission at 530 nm with the CIE chromaticity (0.2917, 0.5736). The results indicate that Sr 1− x Al 12 O 19 : x Eu 2+ phosphors have potential applications as green-emitting phosphors for UV-pumped white-light LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficiency of ciprofloxacin (CIP) adsorption on synthesized birnessite was systematically studied under varying physicochemical conditions, such as solution pH, contact time, initial CIP concentration, and different average oxidation states (AOS) of Mn in birnessite. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and molecular simulations were employed to investigate the adsorption mechanism of CIP on birnessite. Experimental results showed that surface adsorption instead of cation exchange was responsible for the uptake of CIP on birnessite. The quantum mechanics simulation showed that the final energy of the interaction between CIP and birnessite was smaller under the condition when the AOS of Mn was lower, in comparison to the case when the AOS of Mn was high. The highest CIP adsorption occurred under a weak alkaline condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryolite has been considered as an appropriate host for up-conversion materials due to its low phonon energy, wide light transmission range, easy to form waveguide and stable structure. In this paper, a series of up-conversion materials Cs 3 YF 6 : Er3+, Yb3+ with cryolite structure were prepared by high-temperature solid-phase method. The structure, morphology, element composition and up-conversion luminescence properties of as-prepared samples were characterized. In addition, the number of photons absorbed during the up-conversion process and the possible up-conversion luminescence mechanism are analyzed in detail. Under the excitation of 980 ​nm, the Cs 3 YF 6 : Er3+, Yb3+ sample emits strong green light visible to the naked eye. Simultaneously, the maximum absolute sensitivity (S a) and relative sensitivity (S r) were calculated. All the results indicated that Cs 3 YF 6 : Er3+, Yb3+ has potential applications in the fields of green light display and temperature sensing. Up-conversion materials Cs 3 YF 6 : Er3+, Yb3+ with cryolite structure has potential applications in the fields of green light display and temperature sensing. [Display omitted] • Single-phase up-conversion luminescent materials Cs 3 YF 6 : Er3+,Yb3+ with cryolite structure were obtained for the first time. • The up-conversion luminescence properties and mechanism of the as-prepared samples were analyzed under excitation of 980 ​nm. • Two-phonon up-conversion phenomenon was confirmed. • High color purity green luminescence was achieved under 980 ​nm excitation. • Temperature sensing properties of novel up-conversion luminescent materials Cs 3 YF 6 : Er3+,Yb3+ were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]