Synthesis and optical properties of ultra-fine Sr5Al2O8:Eu3+ nanorod phosphor from a low-heating-temperature solid-state precursor method

A novel Eu3+ doped strontium aluminate (Sr5Al2O8) nanorod phosphors with high brightness and long afterglow were prepared by sintering the precursor (produced by a low-heating-temperature solid-state method) at 1100 °C in a reducing atmosphere. Sr5Al2O8:Eu3+ phosphor nanorods with diameters of 20–50 nm and lengths of several microns were obtained, and their optical properties were systematically studied. The main peaks in the excitation and emission spectra can be viewed as the typical emission of Eu3+. The ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectrum revealed that Eu3+ was effectively excited by the ultraviolet light, which caused the transition 5D0 → 7FJ (J = 1, 2).