Synthesis of Y2O2S:Eu3+ luminescent nanobelts via electrospinning combined with sulfurization technique

Y2O2S:Eu3+ nanobelts were successfully prepared via electrospinning method and sulfurization process using the as-prepared Y2O3:Eu3+ nanobelts and sulfur powders as sulfur source by a double-crucible method for the first time. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the Y2O2S:Eu3+ nanobelts were pure hexagonal in structure with space group P (3) over bar m1. Scanning electron microscope images showed that the width and thickness of the Y2O2S:Eu3+ nanobelts were ca. 6.7 mu m and 125 nm, respectively. Under the excitation of 325-nm ultraviolet light, Y2O2S:Eu3+ nanobelts exhibited red emissions of predominant peaks at 628 and 618 nm, which are attributed to the D-5(0) -> F-7(2) transition of the Eu3+ ions. It was found that the optimum doping concentration of Eu3+ ions in the Y2O2S: Eu3+ nanobelts was 3 %. Compared with bulk particle, Eu3+-O2-/S2- charge transfer bands (260 and 325 nm) of the Y2O2S:Eu3+ nanobelts showed a blue-shift significantly. The formation mechanism of the Y2O2S:Eu3+ nanobelts was also proposed. This new sulfurization technique is of great importance, not only to inherit the morphology of rare earth oxides but also to fabricate purephase rare earth oxysulfides at low temperature compared with conventional sulfurization method.