A novel white-emitting phosphor ZnWO4:Dy3+

A new white luminescent material Dy3+ doped Zn WO4 was synthesized by hydrothermal route followed by calcining process. The phase structure, morphology and luminescent properties of as-synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence spectrophotometry, respectively. The results indicated that the sample was pure Zn WO4:Dy3+ only when the p H value of the reaction system was 6. The Zn WO4:Dy3+ sample was composed of spherical particles, and the particle size was about 80–130 nm. The excitation spectrum consisted of a broad band ascribed to the charge transfer transition from oxygen ligand to tungsten ion. The emission spectrum of Zn WO4:Dy3+ was composed of two major parts: the broad band attributing to the intrinsic emission of WO42– and the 4F9/2→6H15/2 transition of Dy3+, and the sharp emission peak corresponding to the 4F9/2→6H13/2 transition of Dy3+. The optimal emission intensity of the Zn1–xWO4:Dy3+x phosphors was realized when x=1.5 mol.%. Moreover, all of the Zn1–xWO4:Dy3+x(x=0.5 mol.%, 1 mol.%, 1.5 mol.%, 2 mol.%) phosphors could exhibit white light emission, which could be potentially applied in white lighting-emitting diodes.