Facile synthesis and morphology control of Zn2SiO4:Mn nanophosphors using mesoporous silica nanoparticles as templates

This study offers a new method to facilely synthesize morphology-controllable Zn2SiO4:Mn nanophosphors. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were employed both as nanoreactors and templates in this process. First, Zn2+ and Mn2+ ions were impregnated into the mesopores of MSNs. Second, Zn2+ and Mn2+ ions reacted with the MSNs at high temperature and α phase Zn2SiO4:Mn phosphors were synthesized at a temperature higher than 800 °C. Zn2SiO4:Mn phosphors with various sizes and morphologies were successfully synthesized by using the corresponding MSNs as templates. The influences of the annealing temperature, Zn/Si molar ratio, annealing time, and particle size on the photoluminescence intensities of the as-prepared nanophosphors were investigated and the results indicate that the annealing temperature and Zn/Si molar ratio are the main factors. The resulting samples exhibit tunable morphologies, non-agglomeration, narrow size distribution and intense emission at 525 nm. The advantages of this method include simplified procedure, low annealing temperature, timesaving, controllable sizes and morphologies, large-scale production and wide practicality for other phosphor materials.