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A novel reddish orange-emitting phosphor of Eu3+-doped aluminate Sr3RAl2O7.5 (R=Lu, Y) was successfully synthesized by wet-chemistry sol-gel method. The samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The luminescence properties such as photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra, decay curves, CIE color coordinates and luminescence quantum efficiency were investigated. This phosphor can be efficiently excited by UV and near-UV light and exhibits a bright reddish orange luminescence with the abnormally strongest 5D0→7F0 transition. Two distinct Eu3+ sites can be observed on the emission spectra under the excitation of UV light (excitation at charge transfer band of Eu3+ ions) or dye laser in the 5D0→7F0 wavelength region (selective excitation into each site). The site-selective luminescence decay curves have been investigated in the 5D0→7F0 region of each Eu3+ site by using a pulsed, tunable, and narrowband dye laser. Each Eu3+ site presents the distinct luminescence lifetime with different rise time. The Stark energy levels of two Eu3+ sites were assigned from the site-selective emission spectra. The energy transfer can happen between the closely neighbored Eu3+ sites in Sr3RAl2O7.5 (R=Lu, Y). The luminescence mechanism responsible for the abnormally strong 5D0→7F0 transition was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CdS/reduced graphene oxide composites were synthesized by a simple one-pot combustion method using cadmium nitrate, thiourea and graphite as raw materials. The structure, morphologies, and photocatalytic properties of the as-prepared samples were studied by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, photoluminescence and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. The results show that the structure of CdS in as-prepared samples changes from hexagonal to cubic phase by increasing the added amount of graphene oxide. During combustion reaction, graphene oxide was reduced to reduced graphene oxide. As-obtained CdS/reduced graphene oxide composites show high visible-light photoactivities, attributed to the minimized recombination of photoinduced electrons and holes and the high surface area of reduced graphene oxide sheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel pyrophosphate BaCr2(P2O7)2 was synthesized by the conventional solid-state reaction. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR spectrum, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) near infrared (NIR) reflectance spectra were applied to characterize the powders. The refractive indexes and nature of the VB and CB were determined. The structure, color properties and application were investigated. The results reveal that the anomalist bodies with smooth surfaces were obtained at 1200 °C with a mean size of 3 µm. A high reflectance peak at 535 nm was observed in the visible region, which is associated with the brilliant and deep green color of this pigment. With all the acids, alkali and deionized water treatment, the polycrystalline pigment BaCr2(P2O7)2 was found to be durable in chemical stability. The significantly high NIR solar reflectance of BaCr2(P2O7)2 is 90.0%, a higher cooling ability, so it has been selected to be tested as cool green pigment in ceramics. Moreover, this novel pyrophosphate pigment has great potential as cool pigment for surface coating applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undoped and Eu3+-doped glaserite-type orthovanadates CsK2Gd1-xEux[VO4]2 with various Eu3+ concentrations of x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, and 1.0 were synthesized via the solid-state reaction. The formation of a single phase compound was verified through the X-ray diffraction studies. The photoluminescence (PL) and PL excitation (PLE) spectra, PL decay curves, and absolute quantum efficiency (QE) were investigated. Unlike the conventional Eu3+-doped vanadates, these Eu3+-doped samples showed not only several sharp emission lines due to Eu3+ but also a broad emission band with a maximum at 530 nm due to the [VO4]3- host. The intensities of the host and Eu3+ emissions increased when the Eu3+ concentration was increased from x = 0 to x = 0.6 and decreased above x = 0.6. Similar concentration dependence was observed for QE. The host emission, even if in the Eu3+-condensed host of CsK2Eu(VO4), was never quenched indicating inefficient energy transfer from the host [VO4]3- to Eu3+. This inefficient energy transfer is understood by suppression of the energy transfer by the V--O--Eu bond angle deviated from 180° and the separation of Eu3+ ions at the Gd3+ site from [VO4]3-. Like the 530 nm charge transfer [VO4]3- emission, two broad and intense PLE bands with maxima at 330 and 312 nm were observed for the Eu3+ emission. A maximum QE of 38.5% was obtained from CsK2Gd1-xEux[VO4]2 (x = 0.6). A white-colored emission was obtained by the combination of the broad 530 nm emission band and the intense sharp lines due to Eu3+ at 590-620 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CuS/ZnO nanocomposite was successfully synthesized by a simple mechanical method, without adding any surfactants. TEM images showed that CuS existed in the nanocomposite and the size of CuS/ZnO nanocomposite particle was around 35 nm. CuS worked as an electron absorber in the nanocomposite, which was beneficial for the improvement of photocatalysis of ZnO. It was also proved by the experiments performed under the visible light irradiation that CuS could help ZnO degrade methylene blue (MB). The catalytic efficiency of the nanocomposites reached the highest value when 0.5 wt% CuS was added. In addition, compared with pure ZnO, the CuS/ZnO nanocomposite exhibited a better photochemical stability up to 5 catalytic cycles. More importantly, CuS did not reduce the antibacterial property of ZnO. All these results indicated that as-prepared samples had some potential values in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]