Multicomponent assembly of luminescent hybrid materials of ZnO-lanthanide polymer complex functionalized SBA-15 mesoporous host by chemical bonds

Abstract

In this paper, methacrylic-group-modified ZnO nanoparticles (designated ZnO-MAA) are prepared through the sol–gel reaction between zinc methacrylate and LiOH, which is then functionalized with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) to form the ZnO-MAA-PHEMA hybrid system after addition polymerization reaction. Then ZnO-MAA-PHEMA unit is modified with 3-(triethoxysilyl)-propyl isocyanate (TEPIC) through the addition reaction and subsequently to achieve the functionalized SBA-15 mesoporous hybrids (ZnO-MAA-PHEMA-SBA-15) by co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and modified polymer ligand (HEMASi) in the presence of Pluronic P123 surfactant as template. Finally, lanthanide (Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺, Nd³⁺) complex systems with β-diketonates (2-thenoyltrifluoroacetonate (TTA), 1,3-diphenyl-1,3-propanedionate (DBM), 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-phenyl-1,3-butanedionate (BTA) and nicotinate (NTA)) are introduced to obtain multicomponent organic–inorganic hybrid materials through the coordination bonds between the lanthanide ion and the carbonyl group of ZnO-MAA-PHEMA-SBA-15. The detailed physical characterization and especially the photoluminescence of these hybrid materials are studied in detail. The results provide a strategy to assemble luminescent lanthanide hybrids with multicomponent units such as semiconductors, polymers and mesoporous silica and lanthanide complexes.