The effect of metal chloride fluxes on the properties of phosphor particles in spray pyrolysis

The effect of metal chloride fluxes with different melting temperatures on the properties of Y2O3:Eu phosphor particles was investigated in spray pyrolysis. A flux of low melting temperature helps to produce particles of higher photoluminescence (PL) intensity. The maximum PL intensity of particles was obtained from the solution with a mixture of KCI and LiCl. The intensity was 142% of that of particles prepared from solution without flux. The increase of brightness of particles prepared from flux solution was not resulted from the improvement of crystallinity, morphology, and degree of activation. The higher PL intensity of particles prepared from solution with metal chloride flux than that of particles prepared from solution without flux was caused by the change of surface characteristics of particles. Therefore, metal chloride flux material with low melting temperature was more effective than that with high melting temperature.