Production of Eu-doped BaAl2O4 at low temperature via an alternative sol-gel method using PVA as complexing agent

Europium-doped barium aluminate (BaAl2O4:Eu) was successfully produced using an alternative PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol) assisted sol-gel route at low temperature. To find the best conditions of calcination, DTA/TG (Differential Thermal Analysis/ Thermogravimetric Analysis) techniques were used. X-ray powder diffraction and Rietveld refinement were used to identify the crystalline phases, as well as to confirm the BaAl2O4 phase formation at 600 °C, a much lower temperature than previously reported in the literature. The crystallite size was estimated using the Scherrer's formalism showing that the prepared samples are in the nanometric scale. XANES (X-ray absorption near edge structure) measurements showed that only Eu3+ species are present in the matrix after calcinations. Optical characterization was performed by photoluminescence (PL) and radioluminescence (RL) spectra. PL studies showed exciton emissions and the characteristic Eu3+ spectrum. Samples irradiated by X-ray showed emissions associated to the exciton and Eu3+ and Eu2+ transitions. This study showed that calcination temperature greatly influenced the luminescent properties. The reproducibility of the samples was successfully tested.