Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Synthesis, characterization and photoluminescent properties of europium(III) complexes with ligands bearing benzimidazole groups

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Europium(III) complexes have attracted tremendous interests from scientists for their excellent properties and their important potential applications in the fields of organic light emitting diodes, biological labeling, laser media. In this paper, two novel europium(III) complexes having 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetylacetone (tta) as the first ligand and the second ligands bearing benzimidazole groups were synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, UV–Vis, 1H-NMR, and elemental analysis. The photoluminescent properties of complexes in the solid state, in ethanol solution and embedded in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were investigated. All europium(III) complexes exhibited strong luminescent intensity, high quantum yields (Φ) and long luminescent lifetimes. The intrinsic luminescent quantum yields (ΦLN) and the stimulated emission cross-section (σp) of complexes were obtained based on the emission spectra and luminescent lifetimes of 5D0 excited state for europium(III) ion. All europium(III) complexes exhibited relatively high intrinsic luminescent quantum yields. In view of σp values, which are the same order as the values of Nd-glass laser for practical use, these europium(III) complexes may find potential applications in the field of high-power laser media.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Scheme 1
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. T.H. Maiman, Stimulated optical radiation in ruby. Nature 187, 493–494 (1960)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. T.G. Pavlopoulos, Scaling of dye lasers with improved laser dyes. Prog. Quantum Electron. 26(4–5), 193–224 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. M. Berggren, A. Dodabalapur, R.E. Slusher, Z. Bao, Light amplification in organic thin films using cascade energy transfer. Nature 389, 466–469 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. F.T. Arecchi, E.O. Schulz-Dubois, M.L. Stitch, M. Bass, Laser Handbook (NorthHolland, Amsterdam, 1972)

    Google Scholar 

  5. F.X. Gan, Laser Materials (World Scientific, Singapore, 1995)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  6. G. Blasse, B. Grabmaier, Luminescent Materials (Springer, New York, 1994)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  7. K. Nakamura, Y. Hasegawa, H. Kawai, N. Yasuda, N. Kanehisa, Y. Kai, T. Nagamura, S. Yanagida, Y. Wada, Enhanced lasing properties of dissymmetric Eu(III) complex with bidentate phosphine ligands. J. Phys. Chem. A 111(16), 3029–3037 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Z. Liu, F.S. Wen, W.L. Li, Synthesis and electroluminescence properties of europium(III) complexes with new second ligands. Thin Solid Films 478(1–2), 265–270 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. H. Liang, F. Xie, Photoluminescence study of a europium(III) complex containing 1,5-styrylacetylacetone ligands. Spectrochim. Acta A 77, 348–350 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. K. Nakamura, Y. Hasegawa, H. Kawai, N. Yasuda, Y. Tsukahara, Y. Wada, Improvement of lasing properties of europium(III) complexes by increase of emission quantum yield. Thin Solid Films 516(9), 2376–2381 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. K. Nakamura, Y. Hasegawa, H. Kawai, N. Yasuda, Y. Wada, S. Yanagida, High lasing oscillation efficiency of Eu(III) complexes having remarkably sharp emission band. J. Alloys Compd. 408–412, 771–775 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Y. Hasegawa, M. Yamamuro, Y. Wada, N. Kanehisa, Y. Kai, S. Yanagida, Luminescent polymer containing the Eu(III) complex having fast radiation rate and high emission quantum efficiency. J. Phys. Chem. A 107(11), 1697–1702 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. A. Beeby, I.M. Clarkson, R.S. Dickins, S. Faulkner, D. Parker, L. Royle, A.S. De-Sousa, J.G. Williams, M. Woods, Non-radiative deactivation of the excited states of europium, terbium and ytterbium complexes by proximate energy-matched OH, NH and CH oscillators: an improved luminescence method for establishing solution hydration states. J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. 2, 493–504 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. G.F. de Sá, O.L. Malta, C. De Mello Donegá, A.M. Simas, R.L. Longo, P.A. SantaCruz, Spectroscopic properties and design of highly luminescent lanthanide coordination complexes. Coord. Chem. Rev. 196, 165–195 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. M. Bala, S. Kumar, P. Boora, V.B. Taxak, A. Khatkar, S.P. Khatkar, Enhanced optoelectronics properties of europium(III) complexes with β-diketone and nitrogen heterocyclic ligands. J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 25(7), 2850–2856 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  16. S.P. Khatkar, R. Kumar, A. Khatkar, V.B. Taxak, Synthesis, characterization, enhanced photoluminescence and biological activity of Eu(III) complexes with organic ligands. J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 26(9), 7086–7095 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  17. K. Sheng, H.T. Li, Z. Jin, Y. Li, Near-white light luminescent material from Eu(III) complexes encapsulated in silica/PMMA matrices. J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 25(10), 4562–4567 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  18. G. Sharma, A.K. Narula, Synthesis and optoelectronic properties of three Eu(III)-dipicolinate complexes based on α-picolinic acid, 2-aminopyridine and 2-hydroxypyridine as secondary ligands. J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 26(2), 1009–1017 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  19. C.Y. Tao, K. Du, Q. Yin, J.Y. Zhu, H.W. Yan, F.H. Zhu, L. Zhang, Pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid for sensitization of europium(III) luminescence with very long lifetimes. RSC Adv. 5, 58936–58942 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. F. Yang, Q.L. Ma, X.T. Dong, W.S. Yu, J.X. Wang, G.X. Liu, A novel scheme to obtain tunable fluorescent colors based on electrospun composite nanofibers. J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 26(1), 336–344 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  21. H. Samelson, A. Lempicki, C. Brecher, V. Brophy, Room-temperature operation of a europium chelate liquid laser. Appl. Phys. Lett. 5, 173–174 (1964)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. A.W. Addison, P.J. Burke, Synthesis of some imidazole-derived and pyrazole-derived chelating-agents. J. Heterocycl. Chem. 18, 803–805 (1981)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. V. Gayathri, N. Shashikala, N.N. Gowda, G. Reddy, Synthesis and spectral properties of 1, 3-bis (2-benzimidazyl) benzene and its N-methylated derivative-reactions with some acids and cobalt (II) salts. Indian J. Chem. A 32, 33–38 (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  24. K. Binnemans, P. Lenaerts, K. Driesen, C. Görller-Walrand, A luminescent tris(2-thenoyltrifluoroacetonato) europium(III) complex covalently linked to a 1,10-phenanthroline-functionalised sol–gel glass. J. Mater. Chem. 14, 191–195 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. K. Binnemans, Lanthanide-based luminescent hybrid materials. Chem. Rev. 109(9), 4283–4374 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. M.H. Werts, R.T. Jukes, J.W. Verhoeven, The emission spectrum and the radiative lifetime of Eu3+ in luminescent lanthanide complexes. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 4, 1542–1548 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. A. Balamurugan, M. Reddy, M. Jayakannan, Single polymer photosensitizer for Tb3+ and Eu3+ ions: an approach for white light emission based on carboxylic-functionalized poly(m-phenylenevinylene)s. J Phys. Chem. B 113(43), 14128–14138 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. H.W. Roesky, M. Andruh, The interplay of coordinative, hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking interactions in sustaining supramolecular solid-state architectures: a study case of bis(4-pyridyl)- and bis(4-pyridyl-N-oxide) tectons. Coord. Chem. Rev. 236(1–2), 91–119 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. C.L. Yang, J.X. Luo, J.Y. Ma, M.G. Lu, L.Y. Liang, B.H. Tong, Synthesis and photoluminescent properties of four novel trinuclear europium complexes based on two tris-b-diketones ligands. Dyes Pigments 92, 696–704 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. C.L. Yang, J.X. Luo, J.Y. Ma, D.Y. Zhu, L. Miao, Y.F. Zhang, L.Y. Liang, M.G. Lu, Luminescent properties and CH3COO− recognition of europium complexes with different phenanthroline derivatives as second ligands. Synth Met. 162, 1097–1106 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61405180).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621900, China

    Chaoyou Tao, Xiaodong Yuan, Qiang Yin, Hongwei Yan, Wei Ni, Lianghong Yan & Lin Zhang

Authors
  1. Chaoyou Tao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiaodong Yuan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Qiang Yin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hongwei Yan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Wei Ni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Lianghong Yan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Lin Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lin Zhang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tao, C., Yuan, X., Yin, Q. et al. Synthesis, characterization and photoluminescent properties of europium(III) complexes with ligands bearing benzimidazole groups. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 27, 5715–5722 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-016-4483-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-016-4483-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation