본 연구에서는 실리케이트계 황색 형광체(Sr2SiO4:Eu2+)의 신뢰성 향상을 위하여 대기압 유전체장벽방전 플라즈마를 이용하여 hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO, C6H18OSi2)을 형광체 분말에 코팅하였다. 플라즈마 코팅 후의 형광체 분말 특성은 주사전자현미경(scanning electron microscope), 투과전자현미경(transmission electron microscope), 형광분광광도계(fluorescence spectrophotometer) 및 접촉각측정기(contact angle analyzer)를 이용하여 조사되었다. 형광체 분말의 플라즈마 코팅 후 접촉각이 133.0°(물)와 140.5°(글리세롤)로 증가하여 표면이 소수성으로 변화되었음을 확인하였으며, 광발광(photoluminescence)은 최대 7.8%의 향상을 나타냄을 알 수 있었다. 플라즈마 코팅 후 형광체 표면의 주사전자 현미경 및 투과전자현미경 사진을 통해 낟알형상의 표면조직이 박막 코팅 층으로 덮여 있고, 코팅 층은 31~46 nm 가량의 두께로 형성되어 있음을 확인하였다. 발광다이오드(3528 1 칩 LED)에 형광체를 실장한 후 85 ℃와 85% 상대습도에서 1,000시간 동안 신뢰성 테스트(85-85 Test)를 수행한 결과 코팅이 되지 않은 경우와 비교하여 코팅후의 형광체가 광도 저하율에서도 개선 효과를 보이는 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구의 유전체장벽방전 플라즈마 코팅 방법은 불규칙한 입자 형태의 형광체 분말 표면을 입체적으로 코팅하여 제품의 신뢰성을 향상시킬 수 있는 방법으로 판단된다.

Hydrophobic coating on a silicate-based yellow phosphor (Sr2SiO4:Eu2+) was carried out by using hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) precursor in an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor, eventually to improve the long-term stability and reliability of the phosphor. The phosphor powder samples were characterized by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a transmission electron microscope (TEM), a fluorescence spectrophotometer and a contact angle analyzer. After the coating was prepared, the contact angle of the phosphor powder increased to 133.0° for water and to 140.5° for glycerol, indicating that a hydrophobic layer was formed on its surface. The phosphor coated with HMDSO exhibited photoluminescence enhancement up to 7.8%. The SEM and TEM images of the phosphor powder revealed that the plasma coating led to a morphological change from grain-like structure to smooth surface with 31~46 nm thick hydrophobic layer. The light emitting diode (3528 1 chip LED) fabricated with the coated phosphor showed a substantial enhancement in the reliability under a special test condition at 85 ℃ and 85% relative humidity for 1,000 h (85/85 testing). The plasma-mediated method proposed in this work may be applicable to the formation of 3-dimensional coating layer on irregular-shaped phosphor powder, thereby improving the reliability.

Hydrophobic Coating Silicate Phosphor Dielectric Barrier Discharge Hexamethyldisiloxane

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