Spherical Zn2SiO4:Eu3+@SiO2 phosphor particles in core–shell structure: Synthesis and characterization

Spherical SiO2 particles have been coated with Zn2SiO4:Eu3+ phosphor layers by a Pechini sol–gel process. The microstructure and luminescent properties of the obtained Zn2SiO4:Eu3+@SiO2 particles were well characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectra, and lifetime. The results demonstrate that the Zn2SiO4:Eu3+@SiO2 particles, which have regular and uniform spherical morphology, emitted an intensive red light emission at 613 nm under excitation at 395 nm. Besides, the effects of the Eu3+ concentration, annealing temperature and charge compensators of Li+ ions on the PL emission intensities were investigated in detail.