Lanthanide (Eu3+, Tb3+) centered hybrid materials using modified functional bridge chemical bonded with silica: molecular design, physical characterization, and photophysical properties.

1,3-Bis(2-formylphenoxy)-2-propanol (BFPP) was first synthesized and then grafted to 3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl isocyanate (TESPIC) to achieve a molecular precursor BFPP-Si through the hydrogen-transfer nucleophilic addition reaction between the hydroxyl group of BFPP and the isocyanate group of TESPIC. Then, a chemically bonded lanthanide/inorganic/organic hybrid material (BFPP-Si-Ln) was constructed using BFPP-Si as a bridge molecule that can both coordinate to lanthanide ions (Eu3+ or Tb3+) and form an inorganic Si-O network with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) after cohydrolysis and copolycondensation processes. Furthermore, two types of ternary rare-earth/inorganic/organic hybrids (BFPP-Si-Dipy-Ln and BFPP-Si-Phen-Ln) were assembled by the introduction of the second ligands (4,4'-bipyridyl and 1,10-phenanthroline) into the above system. All of these hybrid materials exhibit homogeneous microstructures and morphologies, suggesting the occurrence of self-assembly of the inorganic network and organic chain. Measurements of the photoluminescent properties of these materials show that the ternary rare-earth/inorganic/organic hybrids present stronger luminescent intensities, longer lifetimes, and higher luminescent quantum efficiencies than the binary hybrids, indicating that the introduction of the second ligands can sensitize the luminescence emission of the lanthanide ions in the ternary hybrid systems.