A NEW ENERGY EFFICIENT METHOD FOR PHOSPHORESCENT COATINGS ON METAL SURFACES
Dr. Krišjānis Šmits (ISSP UL) speaks at scientific workshop of ISSP UL Doctoral School “Functional Materials and Nanotechnologies”.
During the workshop, a brief introduction to the work of Laboratory of Optical Materials was given. The results of the project "Phosphorescent coatings prepared by plasma electrolytic oxidation" ranked among 12 best achievements by LAS, therefore the participants of the workshop have an opportunity to hear about the research within the framework of this project.
Within the project, a novel method of phosphorescent strontium aluminate coating preparation on aluminum was developed.
Strontium aluminates are the most popular modern phosphorescent materials exhibiting long afterglow at room temperature. However, despite great commercialization potential and large amount of research done, including the contribution of ISSP UL, methods for synthesis of such materials remain relatively energy inefficient and environmentally unfriendly. In turn, the newly developed method using plasma electrochemical oxidation is more energy efficient and environmentally friendly, and it is possible to obtain phosphorescent coating on metal surface in one technological cycle.
With the developed method it was possible to obtain long lasting afterglow SrAl2O4: Eu2+, Dy3+ coating on commercial aluminum alloy AL6082.
The research is a scientific novelty - this is the first time such a coating has been obtained and the possible reactions that occur with the said plasma electrochemical oxidation method have been described. It is expected that the method will be used in practice - in the production of durable and energy efficient emergency signage, road signs, advertising, and other applications.
Researchers at the Laboratory of Optical Materials were the first ones, who started modifying electrochemical plasma coatings for optical applications.
The research was carried out in cooperation with Elgoo Tech company from Latvia and with the support of ERDF 1.1.1.1/16/A/182.
More information about the developed method, the obtained coating and its optical properties can be found in Materials and Design article:
Ivita Bite, Guna Krieke, Aleksejs Zolotarjovs, Katrina Laganovska, Virginija Liepina, Krisjanis Smits, Krisjanis Auzins, Larisa Grigorjeva, Donats Millers, Linards Skuja, Novel method of phosphorescent strontium aluminate coating preparation on aluminum, Materials and Design 160, (2018), 794–802