# Patent

## Title
Process for preparing rare earth luminescent materials

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for preparing rare earth trichromatic phosphor, comprising the following steps: (1) providing precursors for at least one composition formula selected from the group consisting of CaBPO5:xEu:yTb, CaAlrB1-rPO5:xEu:yTb and Ca2B5O9Cl:xEu:yTb, wherein x=0.02–0.05 (mole ratio), y=0.001–0.01 (mole ratio) and r=0.5–0.8; (2) grinding and mixing the precursors; and (3) calcining the product obtained in step (2) at 800–1000° C. for 3–5 hours. According to the present process, only one matrix material and two rare earth reactive ions (Eu3+ and Tb3+) are required to synthesize rare earth trichromatic phosphor. That is to say, no reducing reagent is needed; and absence of reducing agent(s) reduces environmental pollution.

## Background
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a process for preparing rare earth trichromatic phosphor.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
In 1974, in the Journal of Electrochemical Society (volume 121, page 1627), J.M.P.J. Verstegen (Phillips Company, Netherlands) reported a process for preparing rare earth trichromatic phosphor. According to this process, three kinds of fluorescent powders, which are (Y, Eu)2O3 giving red light, (Tb, Ce)MgAl11O19 giving green light and (Ba, Eu)Mg2Al16O27 giving blue light respectively, were firstly prepared under different conditions and then mixed together in certain ratio to give the required rare earth trichromatic phosphor.
However, the rare earth ion Eu2+ giving blue light can only be obtained from Eu3+ by using a special reduce process which is very complicated and requires reducing agent. Unfortunately, up to the present, no other alternative process has been found. Therefore, a new simple, environment-friendly process is desired.
The objective of the present invention is to provide a process for preparing rare earth luminescent materials, which is simple and does not use any reducing agent to thereby avoid environmental pollution.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
In Chemistry and Physics of Abnormal Valence Rare Earth Elements (Ed. Chunshan SHI and Qiang SU, Scientific Press, Beijing, 1994, in Chinese), Shi (Present inventor) reported that, under certain conditions, electron transfer between a pair of rare earth ions which are electronic configurations conjugate can be achieved, and abnormal valence changes thereof can occur.
According to the above theory, the present invention provides a new process for preparing the rare earth trichromatic phosphor, comprising the following steps:

    
    
        (1) providing precursors for at least one composition formula selected from the group consisting of CaBPO5:xEu:yTb and Ca2B5O9Cl:xEu:yTb, wherein x=0.02–0.05 (mole ratio), y=0.001–0.01 (mole ratio) and r=0.5–0.8; (2) grinding and mixing the precursors; and (3) calcining the product obtained in step (2) at 800–1000° for 3–5 hours. The present invention also provides another process for preparing the rare earth trichromatic phosphor, comprising the following steps: (1) providing precursors for at least one composition formula selected from the group consisting of CaBPO5:xEu:yTb:zCe, CaAlrB1-rPO5:xEu:yTb:zCe and Ca7B5O9Cl:xEu:yTb:zCe, wherein x=0.02–0.05 (mole ratio), y=0.001–0.01 (mole ratio), z=0.001–0.01 (mole ratio), r=0.5–0.8; (2) grinding and mixing the precursors; and (3) calcining the product obtained in step (2) at 800–1000° C. for 3–5 hours.
    
    


DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
As mentioned above, under certain conditions, electron transfer between a pair of rare earth ions which are electronic configurations conjugate can be achieved, and abnormal valence changes thereof can occur. For example, Eu3+ and Tb3+ are such a pair of conjugate rare earth ions which, in certain substrate, have the following equilibrium: Eu3++Tb3+=Eu2++Tb4+. Therefore, in a given substrate, three ions, which are Eu3+ giving red light, Tb3+ giving green light and Eu2+ giving blue light respectively, can coexist and form a trichromatic phosphor, while Tb4+ is not luminescent. Further, Ce3+ and Eu3+ are also a pair of conjugate rare earth ions and the following equilibrium can also exist between them in certain substrate:

    
    
        Eu3++Ce3+=Eu2++Ce4+. Therefore, in the above trichromatic phosphor, if Ce3+ is further added, then it can not only sensitize Tb3+, but also regulate the concentration of Eu3+ and Eu2+.
    
    


According to the present invention, the following three systems doped with rare earth ions europium (Eu3+) and terbium (Tb3+) can be used to prepare the trichromatic phosphor:

    
    
        (1) calcium boron phosphate which can be expressed by a chemical formula of CaBPO5:xEu:yTb, and a system which further comprises cerium ion (Ce3+) as a sensitizing agent and can be expressed by CaBPO5:xEu:yTb:zCe;
        (2) calcium boron aluminum phosphate which can be expressed by a chemical formula of CaAlrB1-rPO5:xEu:yTb, and a system which further comprises cerium ion (Ce3+) as a sensitizing agent and can be expressed by CaAlrB1-rPO5:xEu:yTb:zCe, wherein r is a mole fraction with r=0.5–0.8; and
        (3) calcium chloride oxygen boronat which can be expressed by a chemical formula of Ca2B5O9Cl:xEu:yTb, and a system which further comprises cerium ion (Ce3+) as sensitizing system and can be expressed by Ca2B5O9Cl:xEu:Tb:zCe; In all of the above formulas, x, y, z all mean mole fractions, and x=0.02–0.05, y=0.001–0.01, z=0.001–0.01 respectively.
    
    


After having been grounded and mixed, the materials are reacted for 3–5 hours both in air and at 800–1000° C. The resulting products were cooled and then a white powder is obtained. Finally, the products in the form of white powder were excitated using ultraviolet light of a wavelength of 365 nm or 254 nm to obtain a trichromatic phosphor in which three wavelengths of 611 or 614 nm, 544 or 545 nm, 402 or 430 nm respectively can coexist.
According to the present invention, only one, but not three, kind of matrix compound is needed to produce the present rare earth trichromatic phosphor; and only two, but not three, kinds of rare earth reactive ions are doped: Eu3+ and Tb3+. Moreover, the Eu2+ giving blue light is obtained through the electron transfer between Eu3+ and Tb3+, in which, no reducing agent is needed. In addition, it can be synthesized in air. Thus this process is simple, and will not cause any environmental pollution. If Ce3+ is used, a better sensitization effect can be obtained.


EXAMPLES
Example 1
The synthesis of CaBPO5:xEu:yTb system
Eu2O3, Tb4O7, both with purity of 99.99%, CaCO3, B2O3, (NH4)2HPO4, all with analytical purity, were weighed in a stoichiometric way. Eu3+ was added with a mole fraction of 0.05, Tb3+ with a mole fraction of 0.01. (NH4)2HPO4 is in excess of 10%. They were grounded and mixed in agate mortar and put in a Si—C tube furnace, heated at 300° C. for 20 minutes and then heated at 850° C. for 5 hours, cooled to room temperature. The product is a white powder. Its crystalline structure was determined by x-ray diffraction analysis. The powder was excited at 365 nm and 254 nm respectively, the emission peaks for Eu3+, Tb3+, and Eu2+ are at 611 nm, 544 nm and 402 nm respectively. The emission intensity at 365 nm is stronger than that at 254 nm.
Example 2
The synthesis of CaBPO5:xEu:yTb:zCe system
CeO2, Eu2O3, Tb4O7, all with purity of 99.99%, CaCO3, B2O3, (NH4)2HPO4, all with analytical purity, were weighed in a stoichiometric way. Eu3+ was added with a mole fraction of 0.05, Tb3+ with a mole fraction of 0.01, Ce3+ with a mole fraction of 0.01. (NH4)2HPO4 is in excess of 10%. They were grounded and mixed in agate mortar and put in a Si—C tube furnace, heated at 300° C. for 30 minutes and then heated at 900° C. for 4 hours, cooled to room temperature. The product is a white powder. Its crystalline structure was determined by x-ray diffraction analysis. The powder was excited at 365 nm and 254 nm respectively, the emission peaks for Eu3+, Tb3+, and Eu2+ are at 611 nm, 544 nm and 402 nm respectively. In comparison, example 1, the emission intensities of Tb3+ and Eu2+ are stronger.
Example 3
The synthesis of CaAl0.8B0.2PO5:xEu:yTb system
Eu2O3, Tb4O7, all with purity of 99.99%, CaCo3, Al2O3, B2O3, (NH4)2HPO4, all with analytical purity, were weighed in a stoichiometric way. E3+ was added with a mole fraction of 0.02, Tb3+ with a mole fraction of 0.005. (NH4)2HPO4 is in excess of 10%. They were grounded and mixed in agate mortar and put in a Si—C tube furnace, heated at 360° C. for 20 minutes and then heated at 950° C. for 5 hours, cooled to room temperature. The product is a white powder. Its crystalline structure was determined by x-ray diffraction analysis. The powder was excited at 365 nm and 254 nm, the emission peaks for Eu3+, Tb3+, and Eu2+ are at 611 nm, 544 nm and 430 nm respectively. The emission intensity at 365 nm is stronger.
Example 4
The synthesis of CaAl0.8B0.2PO5:xEu:yTb:zCe system
CeO2, Eu2O3, Tb4O7, all with purity of 99.99%, CaCO3, Al2O3, B2O3, (NH4)2HPO4, all with analytical purity, were weighed in a stoichiometric way. Eu3+ was added with a mole fraction of 0.02, Tb3+ with a mole fraction of 0.005, Ce3+ with a mole fraction of 0.001. (NH4)2HPO4 is in excess of 10%. They were grounded and mixed in agate mortar and put in a Si—C tube furnace, heated at 360° C. for 20 minutes and then heated at 950° C. for 5 hours, cooled to room temperature. The product is a white powder. Its crystalline structure was determined by x-ray diffraction analysis. The powder was excited at 365 nm and 254 nm, the emission peaks for Eu3+, Tb3+, and Eu2+ are at 611 nm, 544 nm and 430 nm respectively. Compared to example 3, the emission intensities of Tb3+ and Eu2+ are stronger.
Example 5
The synthesis of Ca2B5O9Cl:xEu:yTb system
Eu2O3, Tb4O7, all with purity of 99.99%, CaCO3, H3BO3, CaCl2.2H2O, all with analytical purity, were weighed in a stoichiometric way. Eu3+ was added with a mole fraction of 0.04, Tb3+ with a mole fraction of 0.01. They were grounded and mixed in agate mortar and put in a Si—C tube furnace, heated at 300° C. for 20 minutes and then heated at 850° C. for 3 hours, cooled to room temperature. The product is a white powder. Its crystalline structure was determined by x-ray diffraction analysis. The powder was excited 365 nm and 254 nm, the emission peaks for Eu3+, Tb3+, and Eu2− are at 614 nm, 545 nm and 430 nm respectively. The emission intensity at 365 nm is stronger.
Example 6
The synthesis of Ca2B5O9Cl:xEu:yTl:zCe system
CeO2, Eu2O3, Tb4O7, all with purity of 99.99%, CaCo3, H3BO3, CaCl2.2H2O, all with analytical purity, were weighed in a stoichiometric way. Eu3+ was added with a mole fraction of 0.04, Tb3+ with a mole fraction of 0.01, Ce3+ with a mole fraction of 0.005. They were mixed in agate mortar and put in a Si—C tube furnace, heated at 300° C. for 20 minutes and then heated at 850° C. for 3 hours, cooled to room temperature. The product is a white powder. Its crystalline structure was determined by x-ray diffraction analysis. The powder was excited at 365 nm and 254 nm, the emission peaks for Eu3+, Tb3+, and Eu2+ are at 614 nm, 545 nm and 430 nm respectively. Compared to example 5, the emission intensities of Tb3+ and Eu2+ are stronger.

## Claims

1. A process for preparing rare earth luminescent materials, comprising the following steps:
(1) providing precursors for at least one composition formula selected from the group consisting of CaBPO5:xEu:yTb, CaAlrB1-rPO5:xEu:yTb and Ca2B5O9Cl:xEu:yTb, wherein x=0.02–0.05 (mole ratio), y=0.001–0.01 (mole ratio) and r=0.5–0.8;
(2) grinding and mixing the precursors; and
(3) calcining the product obtained in step (2) at 800–1000° for 3–5 hours.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (3) is carried out in air.

3. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step (3) further comprises a step of pre-heating at 300–360° C. for 20–30 minutes before calcining.

4. A process for preparing rare earth luminescent materials, comprising the following steps:
(1) providing precursors for at least one composition formula selected from the group consisting of CaBPO5:xEu:yTb:zCe, CaAlrB1-rPO5:xEu:yTb:zCe and Ca2B5O9Cl:xEu:yTb:zCe, wherein x=0.02–0.05 (mole ratio), y=0.001–0.01 (mole ratio), and z=0.001–0.01 (mole ratio), r=0.5–0.8;
(2) grinding and mixing the precursors; and
(3) calcining the product obtained in step (2) at 800–1000° for 3–5 hours.