Terbium(III) Organic Gels: Novel Antenna Effect-Induced Enhanced Electrochemiluminescence Emitters

Metal organic gels (MOGs) have emerged as a new class of smart soft materials with superb luminescence properties and have attracted tremendous attention in various aspects. However, the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) behavior of MOGs has not been reported yet. In this work, cathode electrochemiluminescence (ECL) emission of terbium(III) organic gels (TOGs) was reported for the first time with potassium persulfate (K2S2O8) as an efficient coreactant. TOGs were synthesized by a facile one-step strategy, mixing terbium ions (Tb3+) and the ligand 4'-(4-carboxyphenyl)-2,2':6',2 ''-terpyridine (Hcptpy) at room temperature. The possible strong green ECL emission mechanism was discussed in detail and ascribed to the external coreactant enhancement and internal antenna effect enhancement. Moreover, the promising application of TOGs in analytical chemistry was clarified by the ECL on-off detection of tetracycline. This remarkable discovery of ECL emission of TOGs may pioneer the application of MOGs in ECL fields.