Self‐reduction of Eu3+ to Eu2+ in europium‐doped Li2B4O7 glass prepared in air.

Motivated by the detection of neutrons, europium‐doped Li2B4O7 glasses enriched with both lithium and boron elements with high cross‐section capture were developed. A highly effective method of realizing the self‐reduction of Eu3+ to Eu2+ ions in europium‐doped Li2B4O7 glasses prepared by high temperature melt‐quenching technology in air was revealed. The self‐reduction of Eu3+ to Eu2+ ions can be easily achieved by the partial replacement of B2O3 with BN within 2 mol% concentration. And the effect of partially replacing B2O3 with BN on the optical properties of europium‐doped Li2B4O7 glass are systematically studied by transmittance, photoluminescence, and radioluminescence spectra, together with the luminescence decay curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]