Improved optical properties of YVO4:Eu3+ nano–layers on silica spheres

In this research, silica spheres with uniform size of 400 nm were successfully prepared by modified Stöber process. Then, the surface of the synthesized silica particles was coated with several layers of YVO4:Eu3+ using properly adjusted ethanol/water mixture ratio by an optimized sol–gel process. The obtained phosphor nanostructures were characterized precisely using X–ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, field emission scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope instruments. The photoluminescence properties of SiO2@YVO4:Eu3+ phosphors were analyzed after the formation of YVO4:Eu3+ layers. When the calcination temperature was adjusted at 800 °C, the synthesized core–shell phosphors showed the highest luminescent properties. This method produces designed SiO2@YVO4:Eu3+ phosphor nanostructures with favourable photoluminescence properties having low–cost fabrication due to the partial substitution of precious rare earth elements by inexpensive SiO2 spheres while presenting comparable luminescence properties with the pure YVO4:Eu3+ phosphors. •Nanostructured phosphors possesing several layers of YVO4:Eu3+ and the improved optical properties were successfully synthesized.•The designed core–shell phosphors present similar luminescence properties to the pure YVO4:Eu3+ phosphors.•The introduced phosphors are prepared by low–cost fabrication method due to the partial substitution of precious lanthanides by inexpensive SiO2 spheres.