Mechanochemical preparation of nanocrystalline BaFCl doped with samarium in the 2+ oxidation state.

We report a facile mechanochemical preparation method for nanocrystalline BaFCl doped with samarium in the 2+ oxidation state by ball milling BaCl2, BaF2, and SmI2 under a nitrogen atmosphere. The resulting phosphors were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction; electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; and photoluminescence, photoexcitation, cathodoluminescence, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. This is the first report of a direct preparation method of Sm(2+) doped alkaline earth fluorohalides at room temperature and points to a significant potential for the preparation of a wide range of related X-ray storage phosphors containing rare earth ions in divalent and trivalent cationic states by mechanochemical methods.