Integrated chemical process for exothermic wave synthesis of high luminance YAG:Ce phosphors

Abstract In this paper, high-luminance yellow-emitting Y 3 Al 5 O 12 :Ce 3+ phosphor (YAG:Ce) microparticles were prepared in a solid flame using a 1.425Y 2 O 3 +2.5Al 2 O 3 +0.15CeO 2 + k (KClO 3 +urea)+ m NH 4 F precursor mixture (here k is the number of moles of the KClO 3 +urea red-ox mixture, and m is the number of moles of NH 4 F). The self-sustaining combustion process for the entire reaction sample was provided by the heat generated from the KClO 3 +urea mixture. Parametric studies demonstrated that the maximum temperature in the combustion wave varied from 885 to 1200 °C for k =2.0–3.0 mole and m =0–1.5 mole. X-ray analysis results showed that the product obtained in the solid flame consisted of Y 3 Al 5 O 12 :Ce 3+ and KCl phases. Therefore, after dissolving potassium chloride in distillated water, pure-phase YAG:Ce phosphor powder was obtained. The as-prepared YAG:Ce phosphor particles had diameters of 10–25 μm and good dispersity and exhibited luminescence properties comparable to those of YAG:Ce phosphor powders prepared by conventional high-temperature processing.