Effect of the different concentrations of Eu3+ ions on the microstructure and photoluminescent properties of Zn2SiO4:xEu3+ phosphors and synthesized with TEOS solution as silicate source

• Particle morphology of Zn2SiO4:Eu3+ phosphors could be improved via TEOS solution as silicate source.
• Zn2SiO4:Eu3+ phosphors via TEOS solution as silicate source could lead to excellent photoluminescent properties.
• Zn2−xSiO4:xEu3+ phosphor has a maximum intensity of the emission spectra as x = 0.005.

Zn2SiO4:xEu3+ phosphors were synthesized with different concentrations of Eu3+ ions (x = 0.001, 0.003, 0.005, 0.007 and 0.01) by using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) solution as silicate source. The samples were sintered at 1200 °C for 2 h in air using solid-state sintering. The XRD results showed the prepared Zn2SiO4:Eu3+ phosphors have a small impurity phase of SiO2 when the Eu3+ concentration is less than x = 0.005. However, the SEM results showed the prepared particles of Zn2−xSiO4:xEu3+ phosphor have spherical shape, and fine size powder morphologies. The PL results showed the intensity of the emission spectra of Zn2−xSiO4:xEu3+ phosphor increased first and reached a maximum value at x = 0.005, and then decrease due to concentration quenching effect. Moreover, the intensity of the emission spectra of Zn2−xSiO4:xEu3+ (x = 0.005) phosphor via TEOS solution as silicate source is stronger than that using SiO2 powder as silicate sources, which may be attributed to the uniform particle size distribution. Moreover, all the chromaticity (x, y) of Zn2−xSiO4:xEu3+ phosphors are located in the red region (0.63, 0.36) even if adopted TEOS solution as silicate source that would not influence the purity of Zn2−xSiO4:xEu3+ phosphor.