Physico-mechanical and photoluminescence properties of EuxMg2−xSiO4 system sintered under different conditions

This work focuses on sintering of EuxMg2−xSiO4 (x = 0.0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05) forsterite ceramics under different conditions and study their microstructures, physico-mechanical and photoluminescence characteristics. The starting materials were waste silica fume, pure MgO and europium oxide (Eu2O3). The prepared batches were sintered up to 1500 °C in the presence or absence of carbon in ambient atmosphere. The presence of carbon helped in reduction of Eu3+ into Eu2+. The effect of sintering conditions and formed phases on the properties of final product were investigated. The results indicated that the specimens sintered without carbon exhibited improved physico-mechanical properties with formation of forsterite and Eu4.67 (SiO4)3O precipitated from the formed liquid phase. While the samples sintered in carbon exhibited lower physic-mechanical properties with formation of forsterite and clinoenstatite. Photoluminescence properties were improved with increasing the amount of added Eu2O3 for all sintered samples. The specimens sintered without carbon exhibited life time higher than those sintered in the presence of carbon.