Low-temperature synthesis of BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+ blue phosphors Original Research Article

Using H3BO3 as the flux, pure BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+ (BAM) blue phosphors were successfully prepared via a solid-state reaction. By this approach, well-crystallized submicron BAM particles were obtained at temperatures as low as 1100 °C with a sintering duration of 2 h. The sintering temperature required by this approach was at least 400 °C lower than that required by the conventional solid-state approach for preparing BAM; moreover, the sintering time required by the former approach was also considerably shorter than that required by the latter approach. These factors are expected to lower the cost for large-scale production of BAM phosphors. Crystal structures and luminescence properties of the synthesized samples were characterized by XRD and TG–DTA, and photoluminescence spectroscopy, respectively. The reactivity of an intermediate, BaAl2O4, is thought to be the key factor influencing the synthesis temperature for BAM.