Method of making zinc sulfide electroluminescent phosphor particles

Claim 1

A method of making copper- and/or manganese-activated zinc sulfide electroluminescent phosphor particles, comprising the steps of: a) introducing particles of a ferroelectric material into a heated reactor vessel and fluidizing said particles therein, wherein said heated reactor vessel is maintained at a reaction temperature of no greater than, about 300° C.; b) introducing an organic solution of zinc- and copper- and/or manganese-containing species a finely dispersed vapor or mist into said heated reactor vessel; c) introducing a gaseous mixture comprising hydrogen sulfide gas and hydrogen chloride gas into said heated reactor vessel; and d) reacting said zinc- and copper- and/or manganese-containing species with said gases to form copper- and/or manganese-activated zinc sulfide electroluminescent phosphor particles consisting essentially of particles of said ferroelectric material coated with a very thin coating of copper- and/or manganese-activated zinc sulfide.

Claim 2

A method of making copper- and/or manganese-activated zinc sulfide electroluminescent phosphor particles, comprising the steps of: a) introducing particles of a ferroelectric material into a heated reactor vessel and fluidizing said particles therein, wherein said heated reactor vessel is maintained at a reaction temperature of no greater than, about 300° C.; b) introducing an organic solution of zinc- and copper- and/or manganese-containing species a finely dispersed vapor or mist into said heated reactor vessel; c) introducing a gaseous mixture comprising hydrogen sulfide gas and hydrogen chloride gas into said heated reactor vessel; and d) reacting said zinc- and copper- and/or manganese-containing species with said gases to form copper- and/or manganese-activated zinc sulfide electroluminescent phosphor particles consisting essentially of particles of said ferroelectric material coated with a very thin coating of copper- and/or manganese-activated zinc sulfide.

Claim 7

A method of making copper- and/or manganese-activated zinc sulfide electroluminescent phosphor particles, comprising the steps of: a) introducing particles of a ferroelectric material into a heated reactor vessel and fluidizing said particles therein, wherein said heated reactor vessel is maintained at a reaction temperature which is not greater than about 300° C.; b) introducing an organic solution of zinc- and copper- and/or manganese-containing species as a finely dispersed vapor or mist into said heated reactor vessel; c) introducing oxygen into said heated reactor vessel and reacting said zinc- and copper- and/or manganese-containing species with said oxygen to form a zinc oxide coating containing copper and/or manganese ions on the surfaces of said particles of said ferroelectric material; d) introducing a gaseous mixture comprising hydrogen sulfide gas and hydrogen chloride gas into said heated reactor vessel; and e) reacting said gases with said zinc oxide coating on said ferroelectric particles to form copper- and/or manganese-activated zinc sulfide electroluminescent phosphor particles consisting essentially of particles of said ferroelectric material coated with a very thin coating of said copper- and/or manganese-activated zinc sulfide.

Claim 8

A method of making copper- and/or manganese-activated zinc sulfide electroluminescent phosphor particles, comprising the steps of: a) introducing particles of a ferroelectric material into a heated reactor vessel and fluidizing said particles therein, wherein said heated reactor vessel is maintained at a reaction temperature which is not greater than about 300° C.; b) introducing an organic solution of zinc- and copper- and/or manganese-containing species as a finely dispersed vapor or mist into said heated reactor vessel; c) introducing oxygen into said heated reactor vessel and reacting said zinc- and copper- and/or manganese-containing species with said oxygen to form a zinc oxide coating containing copper and/or manganese ions on the surfaces of said particles of said ferroelectric material; d) introducing a gaseous mixture comprising hydrogen sulfide gas and hydrogen chloride gas into said heated reactor vessel; and e) reacting said gases with said zinc oxide coating on said ferroelectric particles to form copper- and/or manganese-activated zinc sulfide electroluminescent phosphor particles consisting essentially of particles of said ferroelectric material coated with a very thin coating of said copper- and/or manganese-activated zinc sulfide.