Controlled Synthesis And Characterization Of YAG:Ce³⁺ Phosphor For White LED Via A Salt-assisted Solution Combustion Process

Due to their long life-span, low energy consume, low quality of heat and short response time, white LEDs are commonly considered as the most valuable light source in the21st century. As the most widely-used phosphor for white LEDs excited on the blue-light LED chip, great attention has been paid to the controlled synthesis of YAG:Ce3+phosphor. Aiming at the problems existing in synthetic stategyies for YAG:Ce3+, a novel route to synthesize YAG:Ce3+via a salt-assisted solution combustion process has been proposed.In the paper, three systems adding inert NaCl,none inert KF and the mixture of KF and NH4NO3respectively are selected. The effects of the major factors on the phase,morphology and luminescent property of YAG:Ce3+phosphor in the synthetic process are systematically inveatigated by the means of thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), X-ray diffraction(XRD), photoluminescence spectroscopy scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM). The relevant mechanism is also discussedThe results show that the combustion-derived YAG:Ce3+precursors have strong absorption to microwave. Based on the characteristic, YAG:Ce3+precursors can be thermally reduced under microwave radiation instead of heterogeneous heating from heat exchange of microwave absorbing materials. The size, morphology and dispersion of the resultants can been effectively controlled via adjusting the sort and amunt of salt, the sort and amount of fuel, ignition condition, and thermal reduction mode. Free of milling, the obtained particles are well-dispersed, uniform in size, regular in morphology, and intensely luminescent. Characterized by rapid synthesis, lower calcination temperature,short process and energy-saving, the salt-assisted combustion synthesis is expected to find a good application prospect in industial preparation of superfine YAG:Ce3+phosphor.