Graft copolymer-lanthanide complexes obtained by radiation grafting on polyethylene film

Radiation-induced grafting of acrylic acid (AAc) onto polyethylene (PE) film was investigated. The grafted films rapidly adsorbed Eu, Gd, Th, and Dy ions at high efficiency. The carboxylic acid groups on the AAc-grafted PE film acted as a chelating site for the selected lanthanide ions. Complex formation of lanthanide ions and the carboxylic acid group on PE film was investigated by IR, FT-Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Photoluminescence (PL) spectra and the thermal properties of the graft copolymer-lanthanide complexes onto PE film were also investigated. The application of such prepared graft copolymer-lanthanide complexes in the field of fluorescence emission displays (FEDs) may be interest. (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.