A new brilliant red emitting Eu(III) ternary complex and its transparent flexible and photostable poly(urethane) hybrid thin film for optoelectronic applications

A new Eu(III) complex, [Eu(tta)(3)DPA] (1) (tta = 2-Thenoyltrifluoroacetone and DPA = 2,2'-Dipyridylamine) has been synthesized and characterized by analytical and spectroscopic techniques. Photoluminescence (PL) studies of complex 1 were performed in the solid state and in a range of solvents to assess the effect of high energy oscillators on the PL and the results were correlated to radiative (A(R)) and non-radiative (A(NR)) decay rates. The theoretically values are in good agreement with the experimental results. A flexible transparent thin film was developed by embedding complex 1 into poly(urethane) (PU) polymer. PU@1 was characterized by EDX, SEM, AFM, and static contact angle measurement. Mechanical properties of the PU@1 were determined. PL studies of the hybrid material displayed typical narrow emission similar to complex 1 (FWHM approximate to 3.48 nm). Thermal, photostability (under UV radiation) and Laser properties of complex 1 and PU@1 were also investigated.