Biotemplating of BaFBr:Eu2+ for X-ray storage phosphor applications

The design of hierarchically patterned novel structures by replicating the cellular tissue of wood has recently attained increasing interest. X-ray storage phosphor BaFBr:Eu2+ is manufactured via vacuum assisted repeated infiltration of wood tissue (Pinus sylvestris). A submicrometer precipitate is formed via wet chemical reaction of NH4F, BaBr2·2H2O and EuCl3·6H2O in methanol. According to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), the original wood cell walls are filled with the precipitate and completely transformed into BaFBr struts after sintering at 800 °C. The optical properties of the biomorphous phosphor microstructure are determined by photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) at room temperature, photo-stimulated luminescence spectroscopy (PSL) and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy (CL) in the SEM. A broadening of the PSL peak is observed and ascribed to the incorporation of calcium impurities present in the pine wood tissue. The potential of biotemplates for generating highly oriented and optically isolated μm- and sub-μm matrix of X-ray storage phosphor material is illustrated.