Photoluminescence properties of Eu2+-activated BaCa2Al8O15 nanophosphors

A new blue-emitting nanophosphor of Eu2+-activated BaCa2Al8O15 was synthesized by the Pechini method. The phosphors were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) measurement and confirmed to be a pure crystalline phase of BaCa2Al8O15. The photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra, the luminescence decay and the color coordinates were taken to investigate the luminescence characteristics. The dependence of luminescence intensities BaCa2Al8O15:Eu2+ on the doping concentrations was investigated. This nanophosphor can be efficiently excited by UV light and presents bright blue luminescence. Under the same conditions, the light yield of BaCa2Al8O15:Eu2+ is about 1.2 times higher than that of blue-emitting phosphor BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+. Eu2+-activated BaCa2Al8O15 nanophosphor exhibits the long-lasting phosphorescence, which was analyzed by measuring the afterglow decay curves. The co-doped Eu3+ ions and some defects were suggested to be the possible trap-centers.