Project leader Virgīnija Vītola
Agreement No 1.1.1.2/16/I/001
Research application No 1.1.1.2/VIAA/3/19/440
Long lasting luminescence (known also as persistent luminescence) is a process where a material, after some kind of excitation, emits visible light for minutes or even hours after the excitation source has been switched off. The luminescent materials are usually obtained in the form of non-transparent powders – thus limiting the emission to the surface of the material. There might be a solution to this problem – it has recently been demonstrated that the transparency of ceramics in the visible spectral region increases the intensity of the persistent luminescence emission by exciting the entire volume of the host and allowing most of the emitted light to reach the surface. High translucency of strontium aluminate phosphors would lead to increased efficiency of persistent luminescence process, thus providing even more applications. Therefore, this research project is aimed to improve the performance of persistent luminescence materials by exploring the relationship between the physical properties of ceramic materials and their processing conditions.
Project is being carried out at Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia for 42 months starting from no 01.01.2020. until 30.06.2023. The total costs of the project are 133 805.88 EUR.
Project progress
30.06.2023.
A publication has been published during the reporting period –
Leimane, M.; Krizmane, K.; Bite, I.; Grube, J.; Vitola, V. Sol–Gel Synthesis of Translucent and Persistent Luminescent SiO2@ SrAl2O4 Eu, Dy, B Materials. Materials 2023, 16, 4416. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16124416
Also, one publication has been submitted and is currently undergoing the review process - Influence of the method of synthesis on the formation of translucent hafnia ceramics, Ivita Bite, Katrina Laganovska, Edgars Vanags, Virginija Vitola, submitted to the journal Materialia.
The results of the research were presented at Elsevier 7th Green and Sustainable Chemistry Conference, Title: Sol-gel synthesis of transparent and luminescent SiO2@ SrAl2O4 Eu, Dy, B materials. Program: https://www.elsevier.com/events/conferences/green-and-sustainable-chemistry-conference/programme and at the Surfaces, Interfaces and Coatings Technologies International conference, 26 Apr 2023 to 28 Apr 2023 Lisbon – Portugal Title: Solar furnace synthesis of persistent luminescent strontium aluminate ceramic with improved luminescent properties, V. Vitola, I. Bite.
31.03.2023.
Work was done on the preparation of two publications. Passed radiation safety training for working with radiation sources.
31.12.2022.
During the reporting period, a popular scientific article was published in the magazine "Ilustrētā Junioriem" - What is Luminescence? Also, the research results have been presented at the conference Smart Materials and Surfaces 2022, Athens, Greece - Sol-gel synthesis of transparent and luminescent SiO2@ SrAl2O4 Eu, Dy, B materials V. Vitola and M. Leimane. Work was done on the preparation of two publications.
09.11.2022.
The scientific results obtained at the stage were presented at the conference IWASOM 2022, Gdansk, Poland, Transparent barium silicate ceramics for optical memory purposes, V. Vitola.
Two publications were published during this period, two more are in preparation.
V. Vitola, K. Laganovska, I. Bite, E. Einbergs, D. Millers, The role of boric acid in optical information storage properties in Eu doped BaSi2O5, Journal of Luminescence. (2022), 243, 118682 (Impact factor 3.599) A. Spustaka, D. Millers, E. Einbergs, V. Vitola, E. Vanags, Luminescence of ZnO:Ga ceramics under sub-threshold electron irradiation, Optical Materials. (2022) 126, 112181. (Impact factor 3.754)
A public lecture was held for physics teachers in professional development courses, 20.06.2022, as part of Skola2030. A popular science publication for the magazine "Illustrated science for juniors" is in preparation.
30.06.2022.
Publication published during the reporting period: A. Spustaka, D. Millers, E. Einbergs, V. Vitola, E. Vanags, Luminescence of ZnO:Ga ceramics under sub-threshold electron irradiation, Optical Materials. (2022) 126, 112181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optmat.2022.112181
A public lecture has been conducted for physics teachers in professional training courses, 20.06.2022, Skola2030, “Solid state physics: luminescent materials”, V. Vītola.
Work has been done on preparing the results for publication and presentation at IWASOM 2022.
31.03.2022.
Publication published during the reporting period: V. Vitola, K. Laganovska, I. Bite, E. Einbergs, D. Millers, The role of boric acid in optical information storage properties in Eu doped BaSi2O5, Journal of Luminescence. (2022), 243, 118682, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jlumin.2021.118682
Work has been carried out on the synthesis of transparent barium silicate ceramics.
01.10.2020.
During the reporting period, mobility has taken place with a cooperation partner - the University of Tartu, where at the Institute of Physics Dr. Under the guidance of Phys Tanel Kaambre, XPS measurement and data analysis skills were acquired. Measurements have been made in the preparation of the next publication for a persistent luminescent, transparent, ceramic alumino-silicate coating.
The publication prepared during the previous reporting period has successfully passed the review process and has been accepted for publication in the journal Scripta Materialia: "Low temperature post-tanning from SrAl2O4: Eu, Dy, B contains glass", https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scriptamat.2020.08.023
07.07.2020
Cooperation with the University of Tampere and the University of Turku has been carried out, resulting in the synthesis of transparent long-lasting luminescent glass ceramics and their luminescent and structure measurements. Publication “Low temperature afterglow from SrAl2O4: Eu, Dy, B containing glass”, has been submitted and is currently under reviewed in the journal Scripta Materialia. Mobility has been started at partner institution Tartu University, the Institute of Physics, where in collaboration with Dr. Phys Tanel Kaambre the PostDoc researcher is acquiring XPS measurement and data analysis skills.
28.03.2020.
In the first months of project execution, work has been carried out on literature study on transparent ceramics, as well as initial attempts to produce transparent persistent luminescence ceramics. Effects of boron on luminescent properties of strontium aluminate activated by europium has been investigated and published "The boron effect on low temperature luminescence of SrAl2O4:Eu, Dy" Vitola, V., Bite, I., Millers, D., Zolotarjovs, A., Laganovska, K., Smits, K., Spustaka, A., Ceramics International (2020) Article in press (available online), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2020.01.208
The first results of the project were delivered as a public lecture on University of Latvia Young Physicists School, that was attended by approximately 200 high-school students (http://jfs.lu.lv/materialas-vertibas/).