Thermostable Eu(III)-nanorod luminophores with effective photosensitized energy transfer

The thermostable Eu(III)-doped nanorod aggregates composed of luminescent Eu(III) complexes and diphenylphosphinic acids (DPP) are reported. Prepared Eu(III)-nanorod aggregates [Eu(hfa)(x)(TPPO)(y)(DPP)(z)](n) (hfa: hexafluoroacetylacetionate, TPPO: triphenylphosphine oxide), Eu(III)-nanoparticle aggregates [Eu(hfa) x(DPP) y] n, and standard Eu(III)-nanoparticles [Eu(DPP)(x)](n) were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements. The decomposition temperatures of [Eu(hfa)(x)(DPP)(y)](n) and [Eu(hfa)(x)(TPPO)(y)(DPP)(z)](n) for thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were found to be over > 500 degrees C. Photosensitized luminescence was successfully observed for Eu(III)-nanorod and Eu(III)-nanoparticle aggregates excited at the specific pi-pi* transition band for organic hfa ligands (lambda = 340 nm), which is similar to the inter-ligand charge transfer (ILCT) band in the solid-state, were successfully observed. The photosensitized energy transfer efficiency of Eu(III)-nanorod aggregates of [Eu(hfa)(x)(TPPO)(y)(DPP)(z)](n) was estimated to be 91%. In this study, thermostable Eu(III)-nanorod aggregate luminophore composed of Eu(III) complexes and DPP joint compounds are demonstrated. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.