A polyacrylamide gel route is used to synthesize the alumina-based light-emitting material M: -AlO (M=C, Fe, Co, Ni, Mn, Ti). Sintering temperature, pH value, organic additive, chelating agent, C and metal salt can significantly effects the formation of rhombohedral -AlO phase. The structure analysis shows that the carbon, Ti, Co, Ni doped AlO powders obvious suppress the formation of -AlO, in contrast, the Fe, Mn doped Al2O3 can accelerate the formation of -AlO. The carbon and metal salt introduction to the AlO precursor solution obvious influenced the sample morphology, band-gap, color and photoluminescence properties. The results show that the carbon and metal salt introduced to AlO precursor solution reduces the band-gap values and enhances the photoluminescence properties of M: -AlO powders. The photoluminescence mechanisms of M: -AlO powders have been discussed on the basis of the experimental results. The M: -AlO composites making them promising candidates as efficient light-emitting materials, pigments, photocatalysts and radiation detection including space dosimetry, environmental dosimetry, medical dosimetry and personal dosimetry.

Shifa Wang is currently a lecturer at Chongqing Three Gorges University. He has worked in Lanzhou Institute of Physics for some time. His recent work is focused on nanometer photoelectric materials and radiation detectors, photocatalyst, as well as nanocomposites. He published over 30 SCI journal papers, and 1 book chapters.