Synthesis and characterization of UV upconversion material Y2SiO5:Pr3+, Li+/TiO2 with enhanced the photocatalytic properties under a xenon lamp

Abstract

The upconversion luminescence agents Y₂SiO₅:Pr³⁺, Li⁺, that can be effectively excited by the blue light from a xenon lamp 150 W with grating as its light splitter, are fabricated by a hydrothermal method with mesoporous molecular sieves of MCM-48 as the suitable silica source. The obtained emission spectra of Y₂SiO₅:Pr³⁺, Li⁺ and Y₂SiO₅:Pr³⁺, Li⁺/TiO₂ excited by a xenon lamp indicate that the UV upconversion luminescence of Pr³⁺ can be effectively transferred to TiO₂. The photocatalytic performances of Y₂SiO₅:Pr³⁺, Li⁺/TiO₂ are evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue upon xenon lamp irradiation. The degradation rate of the methylene blue with Y₂SiO₅:Pr³⁺, Li⁺/TiO₂ is 14 times as high as that with only TiO₂.