Novel synthesis route to uniform nanosheet Bi2O2CO3:Eu3+ crystals with luminescence properties

A novel Bi2O2CO3:Eu3+ phosphor with different morphologies was successfully synthesized by the urea-based precipitation method without using any surfactants. The diverse morphologies of the samples have been easily realized in an ethanol/water mixed solution system by controlling the proportions of ethanol to water. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy are used to characterize products. Studies on the photoluminescence (PL) properties of Bi2O2CO3:Eu3+ phosphors indicate that the PL intensity of different morphologies is dependent on crystallinity and size uniformity. Besides, the photoluminescence intensity of uniform nanosheet Bi2O2CO3:Eu3+ phosphor (S3) is higher than other morphologies when excited by 395 nm wavelength. The optimum doping concentration of phosphor prepared by ethanol solvent is 0.08 and concentration quenching occurs among nearest-neighbor ions. The CIE coordinate is also in close proximity to the standard of red light (0.67, 0.33); therefore the prepared Eu3+ doped products may be a promising red phosphor candidate in white light-emitting diodes field.