Extraction of europium complexes with 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid and neutral ligands

Extraction of mixed-ligand europium complexes with 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic (pyromellitic) acid and neutral ligands was studied. The complexation of europium with the ligands is discussed on the basis of data on europium distribution in extraction systems, as well as IR and luminescent spectroscopy data of extracts. Crystalline polynuclear europium complexes with pyromellitic acid and 1,10-phenanthroline and tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane were isolated from the extracts. The composition of pyrolysis products of extracts was studied. It was shown that nanosized bulk samples of europium oxide can be obtained by the pyrolysis of saturated extracts. Differences in the morphology of europium oxide nanoparticles were revealed in the samples obtained by pyrolysis of extracts differing in composition at the same temperature and time.