Abstract:Europium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet nanopowders were synthesized through an aqueous sol−gel method. The structure, morphology and luminescence spectra were investigated by using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy measurements. The results show that YAG:Eu with an average particle size of 50 nm is formed. The activation energy of YAG:Eu nanocrystallite growth during calcination is 24.1 kJ/mol. The crystalline YAG:Eu nanopowders show an orange−red emission with ⁵D₀–⁷F₁ as the most prominent group.

Key words: nanostructured material; Y₃Al₅O₁₂ (YAG); sol−gel method; luminescence