An electronic energy mechanism of activator and sensitizer was established to describe the luminescence behaviors of Eu- and Dy-codoped M(II)Al2O4 (M(II) = Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg) phosphors through potassium carbonate coprecipitation. Experimental results demonstrated that the prepared phosphors exhibited superior crystallinity at a temperature lower than 950 degrees C. The phosphors are ordered according to emission intensity as follows Ca- > Ba- > Sr- > Mg-containing phosphors. The energy level for Eu2+ 4f (6)5d(1) -> 4f(7), Eu3+ D-4(0) -> F-7, and Dy3+ F-4(9/2) -> H-6 transitions and the effects of nephelauxetic and crystal field in Ba-, Sr-, and Ca-containing phosphors were discussed. The energy gap, (hv)(em), between 5d and 4f of Eu2+ ion is strongly affected by host composition, crystal field strength, and nephelauxetic effect. The infrared emission of 4f(9/2) -> 6h for Dy3+ is merely depend on the transfer of energy from Eu2+ upon excited. Ca-containing phosphor with maximum (hv)(em) is attributed to the lowest bond length of Ca-O and highest ionization potential of Ca2+ ion, which leads to the effects of crystal field and nephelauxetic greater than that in the other phosphors. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.