Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Lanthanide(III) Complexes-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles as Fluorescent Nanomaterials

Lanthanide(III) (Eu and Tb)-imidazoledicarboxylic acid complexes were immobilized on colloidal mesoporous silica with diameter smaller than 100 nm by covalent bond grafting technique and uniform and monodisperse luminescent Eu-idc-Si and Tb-bide-Si functionalized mesoporous silica hybrid nanomaterials (MSNs) were obtained. The lanthanide(III) complexes-functionalized MSNs were characterized by fluorescence spectra, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, and powder X-ray diffraction. The hybrid nanomaterials Eu-idc-Si and Tb-bide-Si functionalized MSNs show strong red and green photoluminescence upon irradiation with ultraviolet light, respectively. Both hybrid nanomaterials exhibit long lifetimes. The mesoporous silica nanoparticles are stable colloid and may have some advantages for potential applications in drug delivery or optical imaging.