Synthesis And Characterization Of Eu3+ Doped α-Al2O3 Nanocrystalline Powder For Novel Application in Latent Fingerprint Development

Institute of Forensic Science and Criminology, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160 014, India

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2016, 7 (4), pp 302-306

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2016.6310

Publication Date (Web): Mar 07, 2016

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail: vsharma@pu.ac.in

Abstract

In the present study, we investigate upon the synthesis and characterization of inorganic Eu³⁺ doped Al₂O₃ nanophosphor for its structural and luminescent properties. The luminescent nanopowder was prepared using a combustion method in which the stoichiometric ratio of oxidizers and fuel was fixed to one, with varying concentration of Eu³⁺ ions acting as an activator. The prepared powder showed excellent thermal stability. For the identification of the phase and structure of the powder synthesized, X-ray diffractometer was used. From the XRD analysis, it is revealed that the rhombohedral crystallite phase of α-alumina was formed. The type of morphology and particle size was ascertained by Filed Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) and it was found that particles were having irregular spherical shape. A qualitative analysis of these nanophosphor particles was made using an Energy dispersive X-ray detector (EDS) and it was found that the samples were composed of Al, O and Eu ions. Photo-luminescence (PL) spectra were obtained using Spectrofluorometer absorption. The intense band position was observed at 618 nm and other less intense bands were also seen at 592 nm, 601 nm, 631 nm, while two weak bands were observed at 660 nm and 718 nm, when excited at 226 nm. The CIE color space chromaticity diagram was calculated from the CIE Calculator program using obtained PL spectra. The prepared nanophosphor powder was tested for latent fingerprint detection in forensic applications. The synthesized nanophosphor was successfully used as a latent fingerprint developing powder on various non-porous surfaces for forensic application. 

Keywords

Luminescence, XRD, phosphor, CIE, nanocrystalline, latent fingerprint.