Facile combustion route for low-temperature preparation of Sr ₂SiO₄:Eu²⁺ phosphor and its photoluminescence properties

Uniform and nanosized phosphors of Sr₂SiO₄:Eu ²⁺ were successfully synthesized by a simple, inexpensive, and relatively low-temperature synthesis route using the combustion method. Through the chemical reaction of Sr(NO₃)₂, Eu(NO₃) ₃, and fumed silica, the pure phase of nanosized Sr ₂SiO₄:Eu²⁺ was obtained by sintering at 800°C for 3min. The crystallinity and morphology of the as-synthesized Sr₂SiO₄:Eu²⁺ powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The particle size of the Sr ₂SiO₄:Eu²⁺ powders was distributed in a range of 30-50nm. Furthermore, their photoluminescence and luminescence decay properties were also systemically discussed and compared with those of Sr ₂SiO₄:Eu²⁺ phosphor prepared by a conventional high-temperature solid-state reaction method. The luminescence decay curves indicated that the distribution of Eu²⁺ ions in the nanosized Sr ₂SiO₄ powders was in a nearly homogeneous average local environment.