Effect of different doped elements on visible light absorption and ultraviolet light emission on Er3+:Y3Al5O12

In this progress report, seven kinds of novel carefully designed and fabricated up-conversion luminescence agents, Er3+:Y3Al5O12, Er3+:YbnY3−nAl5O12, Er3+:Y3BaAl5−aO12, Er3+:Y3GabAl5−bO12, Er3+:Y3Al5NxO12−x, Er3+:Y3Al5FyO12−y and Er3+:YbnY3−nBaGabAl5−a−bNxFyO12−x−y, are successfully synthesized using sol–gel methods. After that, their corresponding photocatalysts, Er3+:Y3Al5O12/TiO2, Er3+:YbnY3−nAl5O12/TiO2, Er3+:Y3BaAl5−aO12/TiO2, Er3+:Y3GabAl5−bO12/TiO2, Er3+:Y3Al5NxO12−x/TiO2, Er3+:Y3Al5FyO12−y/TiO2 and Er3+:YbnY3−nBaGabAl5−a−bNxFyO12−x−y/TiO2, are also prepared by sol–gel coating process. The obtained up-conversion luminescence agents and photocatalysts were characterized by using XRD, XPS, SEM, UV–vis and fluorescence spectrophotometer. Synchronously, several kinds of organic dyes are used to test their photocatalytic degradation using prepared photocatalysts. It indicates that the up-conversion luminescence ability of Er3+:Y3Al5O12 can be improved obviously through doping of some elements. And then, the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 is markedly enhanced by modified up-conversion luminescence agents which can transform much visible light into ultraviolet light.