Sol–gel synthesis and luminescence characteristics of Sr(3−(2x+y))MgSi2O8: (Ce3+, Li+)x, Euy2+ phosphor for solid state lighting

•The Sr3MgSi2O8: Ce3+, Li+, Eu2+ phosphors were synthesized by sol–gel chemical method.•All the samples were heated under carbon reducing atmosphere for 3 h.•The photoluminescence properties were studied in detail.•The CIE values of the phosphors were measured under UV (365 nm) LED source.•The phosphors show the CIE values in the cool white region which could be applied for SSL.

The Sr(3−(2x+y))MgSi2O8: (Ce3+, Li+)x, Euy2+ phosphors were prepared using urea assisted sol–gel method, calcined under carbon reducing atmosphere. The Ce3+ ion concentration was fixed at 0.01 mol and Li+ ion was used as the charge compensator for Ce3+ ion. The Eu2+ ion concentration was varied as 0.005, 0.01 and 0.02 mol to realize the optimum emission, and it was found that the critical concentration is 0.01 mol. The Sr3MgSi2O8: Ce3+0.01, Li+0.01 phosphor showed the characteristic 4f05d1–4f1 transition of Ce3+ at 414 nm, which could be due to the occupation of Ce3+ at Sr2+ site, whereas Sr3MgSi2O8: Eu2+0.01 phosphor showed the characteristic 4f65d1–4f7 transition of Eu2+ at 470 nm and 570 nm, which were attributed to the occupation of Eu2+ ion at Sr2+ (I) site and Sr2+ (II, III) sites respectively. Codoping of Ce3+ ion with Eu2+ ion enhanced the emission intensity compared to the Ce3+ alone and Eu2+ alone doped Sr3MgSi2O8. It showed both the blue emission of Ce3+ and blue-green to orange emission of Eu2+ with the peak maximum at 460 nm, which could be due to the occupation of Ce3+ and Eu2+ ion in the Sr2+ site respectively. The CIE chromaticity coordinates measured on the Sr3MgSi2O8: Ce3+, Li+, Eu2+ phosphors excited under ultraviolet (365 nm) source showed the values lie in cool white light region could be applied to solid state lighting.