A new BaB2Si2O8:Eu2+/Eu3+, Tb3+ phosphor – Synthesis and photoluminescence properties

In the present work, we have synthesized maleevite mineral phase BaB2Si2O8 for the first time, which is isostructural with the pekovite mineral SrB2Si2O8. In these europium doped host lattices, we observed the partial reduction of Eu3+ to Eu2+ at high temperature during the synthesis in air. Tb3+ co-doping in MB2Si2O8:0.01(Eu3+/Eu2+) [M=Sr, Ba] improves the emission properties towards white light. The emission color varies from bluish white to greenish white under UV lamp excitation when the host cation changes from Sr to Ba.