Luminescent sol–gel materials based on lanthanide aminopolycarboxylates (Ln = Nd, Eu, Tb, Yb)

Abstract

Luminescent organic–inorganic hybrid materials containing immobilized lanthanide(III) complexes (Ln = Nd, Eu, Tb, Yb) with modified ethylenediaminetetraacetic and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid were synthesized by sol–gel method. Obtained hybrids exhibit 4f-luminescence in the visible (Eu(III) and Tb(III)) and IR-region (Nd(III) and Yb(III)). The influence of the hybrid matrix on the lanthanide luminescence was established and it was shown, that the location of resonance level of Eu(III) is optimal for efficient energy transfer from matrix, while in the case of Tb(III) energy transfer does not occur and Tb(III) is able to absorb energy only due to its own week f–f transitions. It was also established that the inorganic matrix leads to elimination of nonradiative energy losses and increase of 4f-luminescence lifetimes. Covalent binding of Ln(III) aminopolycarboxylates in the matrix allows to consider obtained materials as promising for creation of photo- and chemically-stable luminescent sensors.