New synthetic method and the luminescent properties of green-emitting β-Sialon: Eu2+ phosphors

Eu 2+ -doped β-Sialon phosphors with a composition of Eu x Si 5 Al 1− x O z+ x N 8−z− x ( x  = 0.05, 0.06, 0.07) were synthesized in a new synthetic route using novel raw materials, such as nano-silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), nano-carbon (C), and aluminum (Al). This is different from the prevailing method using Si 3 N 4 , AlN, and Al 2 O 3 to obtain β-Sialon phosphors. Compared with the conventional method, lower cost raw materials, simpler pretreatment and a relatively shorter reaction time are achieved. The phosphors show a high purity. All the phosphors exhibit green emission under ultra violet (UV) radiation. A broad band of excitation spectra implies the promising application in UV ray based green light-emitting diode (LED). Chromaticity coordinates of the β-Sialon: Eu 2+ phosphors demonstrate that it is accessible to obtain different green emissions from single phase of Eu 2+ -doped β-Sialon through adjusting Eu 2 O 3 concentration. Furthermore, the Eu x Si 5 Al 1− x O 1 +  x N 7 −  x ( x  = 0.05) shows a better thermal stability than the commercial green-emitting silicate phosphor. These results indicate a promising prospect for this efficient and economic route in preparing β-Sialon: Eu 2+ phosphors, and the phosphors are a highly promising candidate for LED applications.