Constructing hierarchical architectures of Eu3+-doped Mg3B2O6 for tunable luminescent properties

Abstract

Two novel hierarchical architectures, flower-like and urchin-like MgBO₂(OH), were facilely fabricated through a hydrothermal process, in the absence of any surfactant or template. Mg₃B₂O₆ can be obtained by thermal decomposition of the MgBO₂(OH) precursor with the morphology well-retained. These unique Mg₃B₂O₆ assemblies were composed of uniform nanosheets and nanobelts, respectively. Under UV excitation, Eu³⁺-doped Mg₃B₂O₆ shows a strong red emission corresponding to ⁵D₀ → ⁷F_J (J = 1,2,3) transition of Eu³⁺. Interestingly, variable architectures of Mg₃B₂O₆:Eu³⁺ from flower-like to urchin-like displayed tunable emission from 592 nm (⁵D₀ → ⁷F₁) to 611 nm (⁵D₀ → ⁷F₂) through the altering of symmetry of the crystal field around Eu³⁺ ions. The present architectures are envisaged to be potential candidates for fluorescent lamps and field emission displays.