Concentration‐dependent luminescence characterization of terbium‐doped strontium aluminate nanophosphors

• Published in: Luminescence (Chichester, England) England), 2024-07, Vol.39 (7), p.e4820-n/a
• Main Authors: Thomas, Neenu Mary, Safeera, Thevaruparambil Abdul Basheer, Vanchipurackal, Ison Varkey, Anila, Edathottiyil Issac
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminum Compounds - chemistry; Brightening; Chemical synthesis; CIE coordinates; Dipole interactions; Electron microscopy; Field emission microscopy; Field emission spectroscopy; Fluorescence; Fourier analysis; Fourier transforms; Infrared analysis; Infrared spectroscopy; Luminescence; Luminescent Agents - chemical synthesis; Luminescent Agents - chemistry; Luminescent Measurements; Medical imaging; Microwave radiation; Microwaves; microwave‐assisted solid‐state reaction; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Nanophosphors; Particle Size; Quantum efficiency; Scanning electron microscopy; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Strontium; Strontium - chemistry; strontium aluminate; Terbium; Terbium - chemistry; X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 1522-7235; 1522-7243; 1522-7243
• DOI: 10.1002/bio.4820

The present investigation describes the synthesis of luminescent terbium‐doped strontium aluminate nanoparticles emitting bright green light, which were synthesized through a solid‐state reaction method assisted by microwave radiation. Various samples containing different concentrations of Tb were synthesized, and an analysis of their structural and morphological features was conducted using powder x‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The band gaps of the samples were determined utilizing the Kubelka–Munk method. The quenching mechanism observed was identified to be due to dipole–dipole interaction using the Dexter theory. The optimized sample with a terbium concentration of 4 at.% has a luminescence lifetime of 1.05 ms with 20.62% quantum efficiency. The results of this study indicate that the terbium‐doped strontium aluminate fluorescent nanoparticles exhibit promising potential for a wide range of applications, including bioimaging, sensing and solid‐state lighting. Using microwave‐assisted solid state reaction, terbium‐doped strontium aluminate nanoparticles were synthesized. Samples with varying dopant concentrations exhibited structural and morphological changes as a function of dopant concentration. Fluorescence studies explored the colour tuning of different samples. The most intense bright green emission was observed at Tb 4 at.% doping in strontium aluminate. For the optimal concentration of Tb 4 at.%, the luminescence lifetime was measured to be 1.05 ms and a quantum efficiency of 20.62%.