One-pot synthesis and emission behavior of borate, mixed borate-oxide, and oxide-based luminescent materials

In this work, aqueous sodium borohydride and ammonia solution as dual precipitating reagents were explored one after another via one-pot synthesis to develop Ce-based three different luminescent materials. The borate, i. e., (Y, Al) BO3, and mixed borate-oxide, i.e., YBO3-YAG, were obtained at 1000 degrees C and 1200 degrees C, respectively. The mixed borate-oxide was stable up to 1400 degrees C with increased YAG phase. However, the oxide-based materials consisting of YAG with secondary phases Al2O3 and CeO2 were confirmed at 1500 degrees C. The emission behavior confirmed that the borate/mixed borate-oxide showed a deep blue. Further, broad emissions centered at 380/ 420 nm and 533 nm for the mixed borate-oxide calcined at 1400 degrees C exhibited lighter blue. However, the color of the oxide, i.e., YAG-based material, showed near white emission due to the equal contribution of these broad emissions. The color of mixed borate-oxide and oxide-based materials was further altered to greenish yellow by switching the excitation wavelength from 354 nm to 425 nm. The electroluminescence behavior further confirmed the generation of white light for epoxy-containing YAG-based powders over a blue LED. The emission behavior of one-pot synthesized different luminescent materials may be explored in illumination, anticounterfeiting, security, fraud deterrent, and the like.