Electrospinning fabrication and luminescence properties of Lu2O2S:Eu3+ fibers

Abstract

Luminescent one-dimensional Lu₂O₂S:Eu³⁺ fibers were successfully prepared via an electrospinning method followed by a subsequent two-step calcination process for the first time. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the as-obtained samples present a fiber-like morphology with uniform size and the diameters of the fibers changed from microscale to nanoscale with the increase of Eu³⁺ concentration. The emission spectra indicated that the obtained Lu₂O₂S:Eu³⁺ fibers exhibited typical Eu³⁺ (⁵D₀–⁷F_J) red emission under ultraviolet excitation and the concentration quenching effects occurred in the fibers composed of 3 mol% Eu³⁺. The decay kinetics behaviors of the Lu₂O₂S:Eu³⁺ fibers were investigated, which showed that the fibers composed of 3 mol% Eu³⁺ also had the longest lifetime. The spectral characteristics and Eu–O ligand behavior were discussed through Judd–Ofelt parameters such as intensity parameters (Ω₂, Ω₄), radiative transition probability (A_RAD), radiative lifetime (τ_rad), and branching ratio (β_0J). In addition, the energy-dispersive X-ray spectra (EDS), thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) and the formation mechanism were also displayed in order to better understand the work.