Affiliation:
1. ENS Lyon CNRS Laboratoire de Chimie UMR 5182 46 allée d'Italie Lyon Cedex 69364 France
2. Université de Lyon Institut de Chimie de Lyon Laboratoire de Catalyse Polymérisation, procédés et Matériaux (UMR 5128 CNRS‐Université Lyon 1‐CPE Lyon) Équipe M2AGIC2 43 Bd du 11 Novembre 1918 Villeurbanne 69616 France
3. PISEO Parc Lyon Sud – 4 rue de l'Arsenal – Vénissieux 69200 France
Abstract
AbstractThe incorporation of luminescent lanthanide complexes in inorganic matrices opens appealing possibilities in the rational upstream conception of new luminescent materials with easier recyclability. In this regard, the influence of SBA‐15 mesoporous silica, as a host matrix, on the photophysical properties of europium‐trisdipicolinate cesium salt is investigated. The lanthanide complex can be completely and reversibly adsorbed on the silica, using incipient wetness impregnation (IWI) in WATER, without the need of anchoring groups or covalent bonding on the silica surface. This specific procedure allows the homogeneous dispersion of the lanthanide complex into the host silica matrix. Appropriately assessing the photophysical properties of the targeted luminescent material proved remarkably challenging, demanding utmost caution, particularly due to the strong scattering of the mesoporous matrices. Additionally, while the observations confirm an important increase of luminescence lifetimes of lanthanide complexes upon integration into these mediums, this variation is attributed to the differing refractive indexes and not to specific surface interactions or confinement effect. Indeed, it appeared that previous literature precedents depicted erroneous exhalations of the complexes intrinsic quantum yield due to the repeated use of erroneous refractive index values. In the meantime, the luminance of these materials under UV irradiation improves drastically in comparison to what is obtained with the physical dispersion of micro‐crystals of the lanthanide complex onto silica. It is demonstrated that this improvement is due to a reduced inner filter effect in the adsorbed samples. In this regard, IWI of lanthanide complexes in the mesoporous matrices method could be of interest in the development of recyclable emitting layers, less demanding in terms of emitter quantity.
Funder
Agence Nationale de la Recherche