Synthesis of Eu3+-doped β-Ca2SiO4 phosphors and its utility as an indicator to visualize the distribution of grouting material

Grouting materials have been widely used in the engineering fields for filling the cracks and increasing the strength of concrete structures, etc. However, tracing the distribution of grouting material is still laborious and lack of efficient tools. In this study, a grouting material that could be used as an indicator to visualize the distribution of grouting material was proposed. Serial Eu3+-doped β-Ca2SiO4 phosphors were synthesized through a classical solid-state reaction method. The phase and crystallographic properties of the samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The hydration performance of the samples was studied by measuring the isothermal calorimetry and compressive strength. The luminescence properties were explored through photoluminescence spectroscopy and the visualizing of the distribution of grouting materials was realized in simulated grouting experiments. The results demonstrated that the inherent luminescence property of Eu3+-doped β-Ca2SiO4 endowed its capability as an indicator during grouting process and it could be adopted as a candidate to verify the accuracy of numerical simulation.