Solid-State Hosts Based on Fluorides with Europium: From the Crystal Structure toward the Optical Performance

Abstract

The present Doctoral Thesis is framed within the Solid State Chemistry and Materials Science, focusing on the formulation of host lattices based on yttrium fluorides for photoluminescence applications, and establishing interdisciplinary connections with Crystallography and Physics. The thesis is centered on the preparation of α-KY3F10 materials doped with Eu3+, the synthesis of YF3 and α-KY3F10 compounds under various experimental conditions, and the synthesis of the unexplored phase δ-KY3F10·xH2O. It delves into the chemical mechanisms that govern the structures of yttrium fluorides, highlighting the relevance of sonochemistry, as well as the luminescent response of Eu3+ ions in different phases of KY3F10. Furthermore, it addresses the isolation of both α and δ phases of KY3F10, considering thermodynamic and kinetic aspects. Finally, it emphasizes the role of the Eu3+ ion in the calculation of physicochemical parameters and its application in photophysics.