Abstract
Yellow and green lights emitting vanadium doped Zn2SiO4 particles embedded in a SiO2 host matrix were synthesised by a sol–gel method. After the incorporation of ZnO:V nanoparticles in a silica monolith using a sol–gel method with supercritical drying of ethyl alcohol in two steps, it is heat treated in air at 1200°C and 1500°C for 2h in order to obtain the α and β phases of Zn2SiO4 nanocomposites. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used to characterize the phase purity, particle size and morphology. In addition, photoluminescence (PL) is used for optical studies. The PL shows a band centred at about 540nm in the case of α-Zn2SiO4. In the case of β-Zn2SiO4, the PL reveals a band centred at about 526nm. It is suggested that radiative defects attributed to the vanadium in the interfaces between the Zn2SiO4 particles and the SiO2 host matrix resulting from heat treatment, were responsible for theses luminescence bands.
•The Synthesis of α and β-Zn2SiO4:V nanocomposites.•The willemite α-Zn2SiO4 structure was formed to the heat treatment temperature 1200°C.•The β-Zn2SiO4 structure was formed to the heat treatment temperature 1500°C.•The Zn2SiO4 nanophosphors exhibit a nanometric size.•Strong bands of green and yellow luminescence have appeared.