High efficient yvpo₄ luminescent materials activated by europium

YPO₄:Eu, YVO₄:Eu, and YVPO₄:Eu based phosphors with various Eu(III) activator contents and phosphate-vanadate ratios were synthesized by the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis method. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen sorption, acid-base indicators and photoluminescence. The particle surface features with a finely dispersed structure comprising all the involved elements. The pore structure and the specific surface areas of the samples were different depending on the compositions of the samples. The most finely dispersed sample was YVO₄:Eu samples. The specific surface areas of the YPO₄:Eu samples were 10 to 15 times greater than those of vanadate samples. The phosphors samples had a slightly basic (YVO₄:Eu, YVPO₄:Eu) or slightly acidic (YPO₄:Eu) properties of the surface with different contents of Lewis and Brönsted sites. The differences in the compositions and acid-base state resulted in the difference in the intensity and brightness of the photoluminescence (PL) of the samples. The yttrium-phosphate-vanadate phosphors of the mixed YV_x P_1−x O₄-Eu had higher brightness and PL intensity than those samples with similar phosphate as well as vanadate phosphors.