Both microwave and conventional oil bath heating approaches are investigated for the fabrication of CdS nanocrystals through the thermolysis of a single source precursor cadmium diethyldithiocarbamate (CED), which allows us to gain further insight into the thermodynamic aspect of the synthesis. The analysis illustrates that nearly monodispersed sea-urchin-shaped CdS nanocrystals are obtained with the microwave method, whereas nanospheres covered by chunky protuberances are achieved with an oil bath approach. Such experiments suggest that microwave heating facilitates the growth of CdS along the [002] direction. In addition, we explored the catalytic activity of CdS in the photodegradation of rhodamine B, in which the CdS prepared through a microwave approach greatly outperformed that prepared through oil bath heating and the commercial CdS nanoparticles. Such enhancement arises from the higher specific surface area and crystallinity of the sea-urchin-shaped nanocrystals.

Enamels coated with TiO2 thin films were prepared through a dip-coating process in a Ti(OC4H9)4–C2H5OH–H2O sol–gel solution. Upon thermal treatment at different temperatures, TiO2 with different crystalline structures are formed, in which the main crystal of the titanium dioxide film is anatase when the heating temperature is below 600 °C. Measurements on the surface wetting property illustrate that the hydrophilic property of TiO2-coated enamel was greatly increased by heating and, notably, the anatase TiO2 film appears to have stronger hydrophilic property. The crystal structure, surface morphology and adhesive strength of the TiO2 film are also analyzed through XRD and SEM patterns.

A series of single-composition phosphors Ca9MgM′(PO4)7:xEu2+, yMn2+ (CMM′ P:Eu2+, Mn2+; M′=Li, Na, K; 0.003≤x≤0.03; 0 ≤y≤0.1) were synthesized by solid state reactions. Upon excitation at 337 nm, phosphors Ca9MgM′ (PO4)7: Eu2+ exhibit strong blue emissions centered at 417 (Ca9MgLi(PO4)7:Eu2+), 457 (Ca9MgNa(PO4)7:Eu2+), and 453 (Ca9MgK(PO4)7:Eu2+) nm respectively, which correspond to the 4f65d1→4f7 transitions of Eu2+ ions, Through an effective resonance-type energy transfer, CMM′P:Eu2+,Mn2+ phosphors exhibit a series of colors by adjusting the concentration of Mn2+. The result indicates that CMM′P:Eu2+,Mn2+ can be potentially used as a UV excited phosphor for white light-emitting diodes (LEDs).Highlights► Ca9MgM′(PO4)7:Eu2+,Mn2+ (M′=Li, Na, K) was synthesized by solid state reactions. ► Energy transfer from Eu2+ to Mn2+ was ascribed to dipole–quadrupole interaction. ► Ca9MgM′(PO4)7:Eu2+ has great potential to be used as a commercial blue phosphor.

Single phase of CaLa1−xMgM′O6: xEu3+ (M′ = Nb, Ta; 0 < x ⩽ 1) red phosphors was prepared by solid-state reaction method, and their structural and optical properties were also investigated in detail. The excitation spectra of CaLa1−xMgM′O6: xEu3+ revealed two excitation bands at 396 and 466 nm, which correspond to the sharp 7F0 → 5L6 and 7F0 → 5D2 transitions of Eu3+ and matches well with the two popular emissions from near-UV and blue light-emitting diode (LED) in solid-state lighting technology. The intensity of the red emission for Ca(La0.7Eu0.3)MgTaO6 and Ca(La0.6Eu0.4)MgNbO6 are respectively three and four times higher than that of (Y0.95Eu0.05)2O3 under near-UV light irradiation, while under blue light irradiation are 2 and 2.5 times respectively. The quantum efficiencies of the entitled phosphors excited under 396 and 466 nm are also investigated and compared with commercial phosphors Y2O3:Eu3+, Sr2Si5N8:Eu2+ and Y3A5G12:Ce3+. The chromaticity coordinates of Ca(La0.7Eu0.3)MgTaO6 and Ca(La0.6Eu0.4)MgNbO6 (x = 0.662, y = 0.338) are close to the standard of National Television Standard Committee (NTSC) values (x = 0.670, y = 0.330).Highlights► Eu3+-doped CaLaMgM′O6 (M′ = Nb, Ta) were developed by solid-state reaction method. ► Compared with Y2O3:Eu3+, CaLaMgM′O6:Eu3+ performed better luminescence properties. ► The results show the potentiality of CaLaMgM′O6:Eu3+ for white LEDs application.

The enamel with the excellent antibacterial function can be made by Ag element diffusion at the enamel surface. With the help of SEM and EPMA, the microstructure and Ag element concentration of the enamel surface after Ag element diffusion are studied, and the influence of Ag element diffusion on the antibacterial function of the enamel surface is investigated. The results show that Ag concentration in the enamel surface is the main contribution to the antibacterial effect, Ag element diffusion does not damage the surface structure of enamels at the certain time and temperature, and the enamel surface still has the excellent acid resistance after the Ag element diffusion.