Low cost phosphors: Structural and photoluminescence properties of Mn2+-doped willemite glass-ceramics

In this study, Mn2+-doped willemite glass-ceramics were prepared from conventional melt-quenching method derived MnO-ZnO-SLS precursor glass by an isothermal heat-treatment process where waste SLS glass bottle are used as a silicon source. The structure, phase morphology and luminescent properties of the Mn2+-doped willemite phosphors were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The XRD pattern revealed the phase transformation of zinc orthosilicate (α-Zn2SiO4) with the progression of heat treatment temperature. The FESEM images showed the aggregated and irregularity in shape morphology of the samples. Meanwhile, the emission intensity of the samples exhibit a green emission centered at about 527 nm while the yellow emission centered at 585 nm and red emission centered at 600 nm resulted from 4T1–6A1 energy transition of Mn2+ ions, respectively.