Photoconversion from yellow-to-green in vanadium doped zinc silicate nanophosphor material

• β-Zn2SiO4:V green nanophosphors were synthesized by sol–gel process.
• XRD confirms the single triclinic phase of β-Zn2SiO4:V.
• The β-Zn2SiO4 nanophosphors exhibit a nanometric size.
• Strong bands of green luminescence have appeared.

We report a novel synthesis process of V doped β-Zn2SiO4 green nanophosphors based on sol–gel method. After the incorporation of ZnO:V nanoparticles in a silica monolith using a sol–gel method with supercritical drying of ethyl alcohol in two steps, it is heated in air at 1500 °C for 2 h. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used to characterize the phase purity, particle size and morphology. In addition, photoluminescence (PL) is used for optical studies. XRD results indicate that pure phase of β-Zn2SiO4 with triclinic structure was obtained after thermal treatment at 1500 °C. The PL shows an new intensive luminescence band in the visible range centered at about 526 nm, attributed to vanadium in the interfaces between the Zn2SiO4 nanoparticles and the SiO2 host matrix.