Luminescent device

Abstract

A device for stimulable light emission that includes a fiber mat of nanofibers having an average fiber diameter in a range between 100 and 2000 nm, and includes plural stimulable particles disposed in association with the nanofibers. The stimulable particles produce secondary light emission upon receiving primary light at a wavelength λ. The average fiber diameter is comparable in size to the wavelength λ in order to provide scattering sites within the fiber mat for the primary light. Various methods for making suitable luminescent nanofiber mats include: electrospinning a polymer solution including or not including the stimulable particles and forming from the electrospun solution nanofibers having an average fiber diameter between 100 and 2000 nm. Methods, which electrospin without the stimulable particles, introduce the stimulable particles during electrospinning or after electrospinning to the fibers and therefore to the resultant fiber mat.

1 . A method for making luminescent fiber mats, comprising:
 electrospinning a polymer solution including stimulable particles;   forming from the electrospun solution nanofibers having a diameter between 100 and 2000 nm and including the stimulable particles; and   collecting the nanofibers to form a fiber mat.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a surface coating to the fiber mat.   
   
   
       3 . A method for making luminescent fiber mats, comprising:
 electrospinning a polymer solution to form nanofibers having a diameter between 100 and 2000 nm;   coating the nanofibers during the electrospinning with stimulable particles; and   collecting the nanofibers to form a fiber mat.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein coating comprises:
 introducing the stimulable particles by an electrospray beam directed to a position removed from an electrospraying tip electrospinning the polymer solution.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the coating comprises:
 embedding the stimulable particles into the nanofibers.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 providing a surface coating to the fiber mat.   
   
   
       7 . A method for making luminescent fiber mats, comprising:
 electrospinning a polymer solution to form nanofibers having a diameter between 100 and 2000 nm;   collecting the nanofibers to form a fiber mat; and   coating the fiber mat with stimulable particles.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the coating comprises:
 immersing the fiber mat in a solvent containing the stimulable particles.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 providing a sonicated solution of the solvent containing the stimulable particles.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 removing the fiber mat from the solution; and   drying the solvent from the fiber mat.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 providing a surface coating to the fiber mat.