SrAl2O4:Sm nanopowders were synthesized using two different methods; polyacrylamide gel and reverse microemulsion with two different surfactants (CTAB and SDS). Morphology, thermal behavior, structural and photoluminescence properties were determined and compared using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). XRD data analysis showed that all samples were single-phase materials having the spinel-type structure. The PL maximum for Sm-doped SrAl2O4 is obtained at 593 nm and corresponds to the orange region of the spectrum. The sample prepared by microemulsion method with SDS exhibited the highest PL intensity. The preparation method can affect agglomeration tendency, which may resulted in different photoluminescence behavior.
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