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Although transition-metal sulfides have emerged recently as a type of promising candidate to serve as lithium-ion battery anodes, the chemical synthesis of transition metal-sulfide materials usually involves a complex operation process and is time-consuming. The natural transition metal-sulfide minerals are potential materials for lithium-ion battery electrodes because of their abundant reserves and cost savings of the synthesis process. The synthesis of nanosized transition metal-sulfide-based materials from natural bulk minerals remains challenging. In our work, we demonstrate that a composite of ~ 10–50-nm ZnS nanoparticles that are anchored on reduced graphene-oxide nanosheets can be synthesized by using bulk natural sphalerite in a simple, rapid and pollution-free microwave shock method. As anode electrode, this composite exhibited a high reversible specific capacity (~ 611 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C), good rate performance and good cycling stability. This work provides a route for the high-value utilization of natural minerals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel KLaSr3−x(PO4)3F:xEu2+ phosphors were synthesized for the first time. The crystal structure, photoluminescence properties, concentration quenching, decay analysis, and the temperature dependent luminescence properties were investigated in detail. The unit cell parameters for KLaSr3(PO4)3F were estimated to be a = 9.8997 Å, c = 7.4075 Å, and V = 628.7 Å3. The photoluminescence excitation spectrum of KLaSr3(PO4)3F:Eu2+ shows a broad band from 225 nm to 450 nm with a maximum at about 320 nm. KLaSr3−x(PO4)3F:xEu2+ phosphors exhibit a wide emission band ranging from 425 to 550 nm. KLaSr3(PO4)3F:Eu2+ phosphors exhibit good thermal stability up to 423 K. KLaSr3(PO4)3F:Eu2+ was fabricated with commercial green (Ba,Sr)SiO4:Eu2+ and red CaAlSiN3:Eu2+ phosphors to obtain a white-light-emitting diode. All the results demonstrate that KLaSr3(PO4)3F:Eu2+ are promising blue phosphors for white-light ultraviolet light-emitting diode applications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The simple high-temperature solid-state route was adopted to synthesize a series of related Ba 3 LaK(PO 4 ) 3 F: x Eu 2+ (BLKPF: x Eu 2+ ) blue phosphors. The photoluminescence (PL) and diffuse reflection spectra have been investigated in detail. These phosphors which can be well excited by the 388 nm near ultraviolet light, produce the emitted blue light peaks located at about 460 nm. The critical Eu 2+ concentration quenching mechanism was ascribed to the dipole–dipole interaction, and the optimum concentration was eventually proved to be 0.1 mol. All above results indicate that Ba 3 LaK(PO 4 ) 3 F: x Eu 2+ phosphor can act as an appropriate candidate of the blue phosphor in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SiN was produced using diatomite and sucrose as silicon and carbon sources, respectively. The effect of the C/SiO molar ratio, heating temperature and soaking time on the morphology and phase compositions of the final products was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction analysis and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The phase equilibrium relationships of the system at different heating temperatures were also investigated based on the thermodynamic analysis. The results indicate that the phase compositions depended on the C/SiO molar ratio, heating temperature and soaking time. Fabrication of SiN from the precursor via carbothermal reduction nitridation was achieved at 1550°C for 1-8 h using a C/SiO molar ratio of 3.0. The as-prepared SiN contained a low amount of FeSi (<1 wt.%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Up-conversion phosphors BaLa 2 ZnO 5 co-doped with Ho 3+ /Yb 3+ were synthesized by high temperature solid-state reaction method. The phase composition of the phosphors was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The structure of BaLa 2 ZnO 5 : 0.75% Ho/15% Yb phosphor was refined by the Rietveld method and results showed the decreased unit cell parameters and cell volume after doping Ho 3+ and Yb 3+ , indicating Ho 3+ and Yb 3+ have successfully replaced La 3+ . Under the excitation of 980 nm diode laser, the strong green and weak red up-conversion emissions centered at 548 nm, 664 nm and 758 nm were observed, which originating from 5 S 2 , 5 F 2 → 5 I 8 , 5 F 4 → 5 I 8 and 5 S 2 , 5 F 2 → 5 I 7 transitions of Ho 3+ ions, respectively. The optimum doping concentrations of Ho 3+ and Yb 3+ were determined to be 0.75% and 15%, and the corresponding Commission International de L'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates are calculated to be x =0.298 and y =0.692. The related UC mechanism of Ho 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped BaLa 2 ZnO 5 depending on pump power was studied in detail. The results indicate that BaLa 2 ZnO 5 : Ho 3+ /Yb 3+ can be an effective candidate for up-conversion yellowish-green light emitter. [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]

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]

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]

A series of blue-emitting La 5.90− x Ba 4+ x (SiO 4 ) 6− x (PO 4 ) x F 2 :0.10Ce 3+ ( x = 0, 1, 2, and 3) phosphors with apatite structure were synthesized by a solid-state reaction. The crystal structure and the photoluminescence properties were investigated in detail. The crystallographic occupancy of Ce 3+ in La 2.90 Ce 0.10 Ba 7 (SiO 4 ) 3 (PO 4 ) 3 F 2 and La 5.90 Ce 0.10 Ba 4 (SiO 4 ) 6 F 2 were studied based on Rietveld refinements results and the crystal chemistry rules. La 5.90− x Ba 4+ x (SiO 4 ) 6− x (PO 4 ) x F 2 :0.10Ce 3+ exhibited strong blue light emission in the range of 407–414 nm with high thermal stability upon excitation at 276 nm. Besides, the activation energy E of La 5.90 Ce 0.10 Ba 4 (SiO 4 ) 6 F 2 and La 2.90 Ce 0.10 Ba 7 (SiO 4 ) 3 (PO 4 ) 3 F 2 phosphors were calculated to be 0.152 and 0.177 eV. These results suggest that La 5.90− x Ba 4+ x (SiO 4 ) 6− x (PO 4 ) x F 2 :0.10Ce 3+ is a potential blue phosphor candidate for near-UV-pumped w -LEDs. [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]

The Ca 9 La(PO 4 ) 5 (SiO 4 )Cl 2 :Dy 3+ (CLPSCl:Dy 3+ ) powder phosphor with apatite structure has been successfully synthesized via high-temperature solid state method. Single phase in such phosphor was verified through X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The Dy ions concentration dependent luminescence properties including emission, excitation and lifetimes of Dy ions were characterized using photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The results showed that CLPSCl:Dy 3+ phosphor could efficiently assimilate the n -UV light and emit blue (~486 nm) and yellow light (~578 nm), originating from the f-f transitions of Dy 3+ . The critical Dy 3+ quenching concentration (QC) was determined to be about 12 mol%. The concentration quenching mechanism was also determined to be dipole–dipole interaction. [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]