Polymer-assisted synthesis and luminescence properties of MgAl2O4:Tb nanopowder

Abstract In the present work, terbium doped magnesium alluminate (MgAl 2 O 4 :Tb) nanopowder was synthesized by a polyacrylamide gel method. Structure, morphology and luminescence spectra were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) measurements. The results showed that the single-phase MgAl 2 O 4 could be formed at a relatively low temperature about 800 °C without unreacted Al 2 O 3 and MgO phases. Powders with nanosized microstructures were formed. The polyacrylamide gel method resulted in a powder with smaller particle size and fewer agglomerates than the conventional sol–gel method. Luminescence analysis indicated that, the prepared MgAl 2 O 4 :Tb powders had strong green emission with 5 D 4 – 7 F 5 as the most prominent group. The emission intensity increased with increasing the calcination temperature.