Incorporation of the Eu(tta)3(H2O)2 complex into a co-condensed d-U(600)/d-U(900) matrix

The thermal behavior, structure and photoluminescence features of an innovative organic/inorganic hybrid matrix built from the co-condensation of two di-ureasils frameworks (d-U(900) and d-U(600)), one of which incorporates poly(oxyethylene) (POE) chains with about 15.5 repeat units and the other about 8.5 oxyethylene repeat units are reported. The co-condensed di-ureasil network has been doped with the Eu(tta)₃(H₂O)₂ (where tta⁻ is 2-thenoyltrifluoracetonate) complex. The effective interaction between the lanthanide ions and the host hybrid structure accounts for the increase of the emission overall quantum yield (36%) and for the ⁵D₀ quantum efficiency (57%) with respect to those of the complex alone (29% and 27%, respectively).