Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
184 words
A method for the preparation of a bivalent europium activated luminescent alkaline earth metal fluorohalide of the formula Me 1-p Eu p FX where Me is at least one alkaline earth metal selected from the group consisting of Ba and Sr, up to 20 mole percent of Me being replaceable by Ca, X is at least one halogen selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br and I and 0.001≦p≦0.20, comprising forming an aqueous suspension of MeF 2 and an equimolar amount of MeX 2 in dissolved form per mole of MeF 2 , evaporating said suspension to dryness at a temperature of 50° C. to 250° C., mixing the resultant MeFX product with p moles of EuX 3 per mole of MeFX product, heating the resultant dried mixture in a weakly reducing atmosphere of nitrogen and a small amount of hydrogen for effectively reducing trivalent europium to bivalent europium, at a temperature of 600° C. to 1000° C., and then, after cooling, heating the resultant bivalent europium activated alkaline earth metal fluorohalide, in an inert atmosphere, at a temperature of 600° C.-850° C.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
184 words
A method for the preparation of a bivalent europium activated luminescent alkaline earth metal fluorohalide of the formula Me 1-p Eu p FX where Me is at least one alkaline earth metal selected from the group consisting of Ba and Sr, up to 20 mole percent of Me being replaceable by Ca, X is at least one halogen selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br and I and 0.001≦p≦0.20, comprising forming an aqueous suspension of MeF 2 and an equimolar amount of MeX 2 in dissolved form per mole of MeF 2 , evaporating said suspension to dryness at a temperature of 50° C. to 250° C., mixing the resultant MeFX product with p moles of EuX 3 per mole of MeFX product, heating the resultant dried mixture in a weakly reducing atmosphere of nitrogen and a small amount of hydrogen for effectively reducing trivalent europium to bivalent europium, at a temperature of 600° C. to 1000° C., and then, after cooling, heating the resultant bivalent europium activated alkaline earth metal fluorohalide, in an inert atmosphere, at a temperature of 600° C.-850° C.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the dried mixture is heated at a temperature of 800° to 950° C. in an atmosphere of nitrogen containing 0.1 to 1 volume % of hydrogen.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A bivalent europium activated luminescent alkaline earth metal fluorohalide having a substantially reduced afterglow and produced by the method of claim 1.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bivalent europium activated alkaline earth metal fluorohalide is ground prior to said heating in an inert atmosphere.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
Method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that a fluorohalide defined by the formula Ba 1-p Eu p FCl is prepared.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
Method as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the evaporation to dryness takes place at a temperature of 160° C. to 180° C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said heating of the resultant bivalent europium activated alkaline earth metal flurohalide is carried out in nitrogen at a temperature of 700° C. to 800° C.