Self-activated rare-earth free phosphor prepared by propylene glycol-modified silane

•Ca2SiO4 phosphor has been synthesized via a sol–gel technique using water-soluble PGMS solution as a silicate source.•The structural and luminescence properties of the as-prepared samples were well-characterized using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction and photoluminescence spectroscopy.•This is the first report to investigate the luminescence properties of the self-activated Ca2SiO4 phosphor.