Revival of stifled luminescence in the Y 2 Sn 2 O 7 :Eu nanophosphor: circumventing the surface side effects by Zr–Eu synergy

• Published in: New journal of chemistry 2024-10, Vol.48 (40), p.17411-17422
• Main Authors: Mal, Dibya Kanti, Das, Soumitra, Nigam, Sandeep, Mandal, B. P., Kaiwart, Rahul, Poswal, H. K., Sudarsan, V., Majumder, C., Tyagi, A. K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1144-0546; 1369-9261
• DOI: 10.1039/D4NJ01775G

Although the smaller size of nanophosphors renders processability and flexibility for next-generation devices, concurrent surface prolificity stifles the phosphor efficiency, and in turn, their superiority. To circumvent the surface side effect in the Y 2 Sn 2 O 7 :Eu nanophosphor, the present work articulates a co-substituent (Zr 4+ )-assisted revival of stifled luminescence. Steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence studies revealed that with respect to nanophosphors without a Zr substituent, the Zr-substituted Y 2 Sn 2− x Zr x O 7 :Eu ( x = 0.25, 0.5) pyrochlore nanophosphor exhibited multi-fold augmentation in lifetime and quantum efficiency values, which are key parameters for ascertaining the photoluminescence performance. The experimental and theoretical outcomes indicate that Eu 3+ prefers to be in close proximity to Zr 4+ ions in the Y 2 Sn 2− x Zr x O 7 :Eu ( x = 0.25, 0.5) pyrochlore lattice to counterbalance the individual substitution consequences and generate appropriate electronic distributions and polar interactions. This proximity preference of Zr–Eu facilitates the occupation of Eu 3+ in the interior region of nanoparticles and avoids the surface sensitivity. Furthermore, the lifetime values for the Y 2 Sn 2− x Zr x O 7 :Eu ( x = 0.25, 0.5) pyrochlore nanophosphor are 5–6 ms, and the internal quantum efficiency is approximately 80%, which is the highest of any pyrochlore nanosized phosphor reported thus far, to the best of our knowledge. Thus, this work deciphered an innovative pathway for evasion of the surface-quenching effect without compromising homogeneity in the structural ordering and vicinal symmetry of the dopant/substituent across the dimensions of nanophosphors.