Synthesis and characterization of luminescent polymer nanocomposite films (YPO4:Pr3+/ polystyrene for solid-state lighting applications

Title : Synthesis and characterization of luminescent polymer nanocomposite films (YPO4:Pr3+/ polystyrene for solid-state lighting applications

Abstract:

Luminescent polymer films are promising for future optoelectronic devices owing to their ease of synthesis, tunable properties and flexibility. The present work reports on the fabrication of YPO₄:Pr³⁺/polystyrene based flexible and luminescent nanocomposite (NC) films followed by an investigation of their structural, morphological and photoluminescence properties for their potential applications in optical devices. NC films were successfully prepared by direct solution mixing of YPO₄: Pr³⁺ (0.1, 2 at. %) luminescent nanoparticles (NPs) and polystyrene (PS). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of pure and PS NC films revealed an improvement in crystallinity upon YPO₄: Pr³ NPs doping into PS films, particularly for Pr³⁺ (2 at. %). The emission spectra of the pure and YPO₄:Pr³⁺/PS NC films under UV excitation at 223 nm showed the same features with a broad emission band in the 280-400 nm region. However, an increase in emission intensity, and absence of interconfigurational emission characteristic of the YPO₄: Pr³⁺ NPs were observed in UV region, due to the strong absorption band of PS in this region. Upon doping, YPO₄:Pr³⁺ NPs were found to reduce their intrinsic luminescence emission from (4f²—4f²) interconfigurational transitions of Pr³⁺ ions. However, it was dominated by an orange-red luminescence of ¹D₂→³H₄ transition, while, no emission was observed for the PS film owing to its transparency in the visible region. The fluorescence decay times of ¹D₂→³H₄ in the NC films were shorter those of the original nanopowders. Chromatic coordinates and correlated colour temperature indicated that the YPO₄:Pr³⁺/PS NC films are promising polymer-phosphors for lighting applications.

Keywords: YPO₄:Pr³⁺ nanoparticles, polystyrene, nanocomposite films, photoluminescence, direct solution mixing method.

Biography:

Dr. Kahouadji has a PhD in physics, option: physics of materials since April 2017, teacher researcher at A.Mira university of Bejaia –Algeria-, faculty of technology. He is working on nanomaterials based on rare earth orthophosphates in collaboration with two laboratories: Laser Department/ Nuclear Research Centre of Algiers (CRNA), Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade. Since approximately 7 years his research is entirely devoted to the development of luminescent materials and scintillators for medical and nuclear applications . He has managed 4  master project as director and 1 PhD thesis in progress. He has published more than 18 international papers. He is Editorial Board Member in  International Journal of Materials Science and Applications (IJMSA).and Journal of Modern Polymer chemistry and Materials, Reviewer for Advances in Science, Technology and Engineering Systems Journal (ASTES). has about 6 international and 3 national oral communications.