The oxidation state of europium in halide glasses

The luminescent properties of divalent europium ions can be exploited to produce storage phosphors for x-ray imaging applications. The relatively high cost and limited availability of divalent europium halides makes it desirable to synthesize them from the readily available trivalent salts. In this work, samples of pure EuCl(3) and fluoride glass melts doped with EuCl3 were processed at 700-800 degrees C in an inert atmosphere furnace. The Eu oxidation state in the resulting materials was determined using fluorescence and Mossbauer spectroscopy. Heat treatment of pure EuCl(3) for 10 min at 710 degrees C resulted in a material comprising approximately equal amounts of Eu(2+) and Eu(3+). Glasses made using mixtures of EuCl(2) and EuCl(3) in the starting material contained both oxidation states. This paper describes the sample preparation and analysis and discusses the results in the context of chemical equilibria in the melts.