Investigation of the formation of nanostructures of Ln(III) salts with phosphate and carbonate anions using Eu(III) chelates as luminescent markers

The monitoring of variations in the luminescence intensity (I _lum) of nanostructures of Eu(MBTA)₃phen (MBTA is p-methoxybenzoyl trifluoroacetonate) complexes formed in aqueous solutions upon the introduction of anions is proposed as a method of analyzing the composition of Eu(III), Gd(III) and Lu(III) phosphate complexes in solutions with [PO ₄ ^3? ] < [Ln]. It is found that low-lability binuclear complexes, which rearrange within an hour or longer, are formed in these solutions. It is shown that the lability of Ln(III) carbonate complexes exceeds the lability of Ln(III) complexes with PO ₄ ^3? . An analysis of the dependence of I _lum of the solution on the concentration of Eu(III) ions and on the time from the instant of the solution preparation shows that, in aqueous solutions where the concentration of anions is higher than the concentration of Ln(III) ions, nanostructures of Eu(III) phosphate and carbonate salts are formed in the range of Ln(III) concentrations 0.5–5 μM at concentrations of anions on the order of 10 μM and at concentrations of exceeding 100 μM. The rearrangement of these nanostructures to nanostructures of Eu(MBTA)₃phen complexes is studied.     

Energy transfer from Eu(III) and Tb(III) complexes to dyes in their mixed nanostructures. I

The formation of nanostructures that consist of complexes of β-diketones with 1,10-phenanthroline and involve dyes of the polymethine, triphenylmethane, oxazine, and xanthene series is observed in aqueous solutions. It is found that nanostructures of complexes of Ln(III) ions and dyes are reliably observed at concentrations of Ln complexes from 0.5 to 5 μM and at dye concentrations above 5 nM. Nanostructures of complexes Eu(MBTA)₃phen, Eu(NTA)₃phen, Eu(PTA)₃phen, Tb(PTA)₃phen, Gd(MBTA)₃phen, and Lu(MBTA)₃phen with dyes are studied, where MBTA is n-methoxybenzoyltrifluoroacetone, NTA is naphthoyltrifluoroacetone, PTA is pivaloyltrifluoroacetone, and phen is 1,10-phenanthroline. It is shown that nanostructures formed can contain dye molecules not only inside a nanostructure of Ln complexes but also on its outer shell. It is proved that, at a dye concentration in the solution of the order of nanomole or higher, the formation of mixed nanostructures of Eu complexes and dyes whose S ₁ level is below the ⁵ D ₀ level of Eu(III) leads to the quenching of the luminescence of Eu(III) and gives rise to the sensitized luminescence of dyes. The energy transfer efficiency from Eu(III) ions to dye molecules is determined by the ability of these molecules to incorporate into nanostructures of Eu complexes. The effect of the formation of nanostructures on the shape and position of the spectra of luminescence and absorption of dyes is studied. Comparison of the sensitized luminescence intensities of Nile blue in structures of Eu, Lu, and Gd complexes shows that the greater part of the excitation energy of Eu complexes is transferred directly from ions to dye molecules according to the inductive-resonance energy transfer mechanism rather than by means of energy migration over singlet levels of organic ligands in complexes of a nanostructure.     

Deactivation pathways of the electronic excitation of ions of lanthanide complexes in polymers with functional groups

Complexes Eu(TTA)₃phen and Eu(MBTA)₃phen, as well as complexes Tb(MBTA)₃phen and Tb(TTA)₃phen, which do not luminesce in solutions, are shown to luminesce in polymer films (TTA is thenoyltrifluoroacetone, MBTA is n-methoxybenzoyltrifluoroacetone, and phen is o-phenanthroline). Luminescence of complexes of Eu and Tb in films of a polymer, poly(methylene-bis-anthranilamide) 1,6-hexamethylenedicarboxylic acid (PAA-5), having a high concentration of functional anthranilate groups, is studied. From the behavior of the luminescence intensity (I _lum), the luminescence decay time, and the luminescence spectra of complexes of these lanthanides in polymer films, the following regular features were revealed. (i) During the film preparation at 90°C, Ln complexes are attached to PAA-5 via anthranilate groups. (ii) Irradiation of these films in the range of the absorption band of ligands (TTA or MBTA) leads to deactivation of the electronic excitation of ions according to the diketone detachment mechanism and to further binding of complexes to polymers. In this case, I _lum(Eu(III)) decreases because the introduction of anthranilate groups of the polymer into the first coordination sphere of Eu(III) complexes enhances the nonradiative deactivation of these ions, whereas I _lum(Tb(III)) increases since the introduction of these groups suppresses the nonradiative deactivation of Tb complexes through triplet states of ligands (TTA and MBTA). (iii) Upon storage of films in the dark (20°C), complexes detach themselves from the polymer and return to their initial structure. In PAA-5 films into which Eu and Tb complexes were simultaneously introduced, the color of the emission from the irradiation spot changes from red to green.     

Energy transfer between lanthanide ions in nanostructures of their complexes. I

We study the regular features of the behavior of the intensity I _lum and the luminescence decay time τ _lum of complexes of Eu and Tb ions with several β-diketones and 1,10-phenanthroline in the case where these complexes from nanostructures with complexes of lanthanide ions that are electronic excitation acceptors of these Eu and Tb ions. The composition of mixed nanostructures formed in a solution is shown to depend on the method of their preparation, on the ability of complexes to form mixed rather than homogeneous nanostructures, and on the concentration of complexes in the solution. We reveal that complexes of Yb, Tm, and Dy ions simultaneously increase I _lum and τ _lum of Eu complexes due to energy transfer through ligands of complexes and decrease the value of these quantities for Eu complexes due to energy transfer from Eu(III) ions to ions of Yb, Tm, and Dy. For all interacting complexes, the changes in I _lum and τ _lum of complexes of Eu (Tb) in the presence of complexes, energy acceptors, are shown to be determined by competition between two processes: a decrease in these quantities due to energy transfer between ions and their increase caused by an increase in the probability of nonradiative transitions in Eu (Tb) ions due to an increase in the size of structures. We propose a method of separation of these two processes.     

Columinescence of dye molecules in nanostructures of metal ion complexes

The mechanism of columinescence (fluorescence sensitization) of dyes incorporated in nanostructures of metal complexes is studied. It is shown for the first time that the columinescence of dyes is due to the transfer of excitation energy from ligands and metal ions of complexes that form nanostructures. It is proven that the dye columinescence of rhodamine 6G (R6G) molecules incorporated into nanostructures of Al(DBM)₃phen, Al(DBM) _n (OH)_{6 ? 2n} , and Eu(DBM)₃phen (DBM is dibenzoylmethane) nanostructures is completely determined by the singlet excitation energy migration from ligands to R6G molecules. It is shown that, at small concentrations of R6G, the R6G columinescence intensity is lower in nanostructures of metal complexes with a high probability of S-T conversion and that this difference disappears at large concentrations of R6G. In the case of Nile blue (whose S ₁ level lies below the ⁵ D ₀ level of Eu(III)) incorporated in nanostructures of Eu(DBM)₃phen complexes, as well as in nanostructures of Al(DBM)₃phen and Gd(DBM)₃phen complexes with admixture of Eu complexes, we observed the S-S energy transfer from DBM to NB in addition to the delayed sensitized fluorescence of NB previously observed in nanostructures of Eu complexes, which was caused by the energy transfer from the ⁵ D ₀ level of Eu(III) to NB. At dye concentrations below 100 nM, the efficiency of NB sensitization due to the migration of singlet excitation energy from DBM is lower than in the case of the energy transfer from Eu(III) ions, while, at large concentrations of the dye, the S-S energy transfer successfully competes with the sensitization of NB by Eu(III) ions. The use of dye columinescence makes it possible to easily determine dye concentrations of 2–100 nM in solutions with standard spectrofluorimeters.     

Energy transfer study of the formation, composition, and size of nanostructures of metal ion complexes in aqueous solutions

We studied the luminescence intensity (I _lum) of the ions Eu(III) and Sm(III) in relation to the concentrations of ions Ln(III) and Al(III) in water at pH 7 at an excess of such beta-diketones as p-methoxybenzoyltrifluoroacetone (MBTA), dibenzoylmethane (DBM), and tenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTA) and in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) used as a synergistic agent. Both the enhancement of I _lum (Eu(III)) upon addition of Gd(III) (co-luminescence) and the effect of the third ion are found to depend on the order of addition of the ions to the solution and, therefore, on the sequence of formation of nanostructures of complexes of these ions in the solution, in which the transfer of the triplet energy of the organic part of complexes takes place, leading to an enhancement in I _lum (Eu(III)). The intensity I _lum (Eu(III)) is shown to increase equally rapidly upon addition of either Gd(III) or Al(III) to solutions with DBM + phen. In solutions of all the three beta-diketones studied, the Eu(III) ions incorporate better into nanostructures of triply charged ions whose radius is similar to or smaller than the radius of the Eu(III) ions. Our study of the effect that the replacement of H₂O with D₂O exerts of I _lum of 5 × 10^?8 M Eu(III) at different concentrations of ligands shows that, at [Ln(III)] < [OH^?] and at a concentration of beta-diketones smaller than 3 × 10^?5 M, the deuteration affects I _lum(Eu(III)) and, therefore, the first coordination sphere of Eu(III) contains OH groups. It is shown that, in aqueous solutions with 3 × 10^?5 M TTA + 10^?5 M phen, the increase in I _lum(Eu(III)) caused by the introduction of Gd(III) ions results from two processes occurring in the nanostructures of these complexes: the energy transfer from Gd(III) complexes to Eu(III) complexes and the increase of I _lum of Eu(III) itself under the conditions in the solution where the total concentration [Ln] ? [OH^?] and both the photochemical deactivation of Eu(III) and the exchange of its excitation energy for vibrations of the OH groups are suppressed. The reliability of the size estimation of nanostructures of metal complexes is discussed in terms of the effect of these nanostructures on I _lum of chelates of Eu(III).     

Luminescence of dipicolinic complexes of lanthanide ions

The luminescence decay times τ_lum of the complexes of the ions Tb(III), Eu(III), Sm(III), Dy(III), and Yb(III) with dipicolinic acid (DPA) dissolved in protonated and deuterated water, methanol, and dimethyl sulfoxide are measured. The values of τ_lum for crystals H₃[Ln(DPA)₃]·nH₂O and their aqueous solutions coincide, which points to the identity of the environment in the nearest spheres of an ion in both cases. A comparison of τ_lum of solutions of the complexes in H₂O and D₂O, as well as in CH₃OH, CH₃OD, CD₃OD, DMSO-h ₆, and DMSO-d ₆ shows that the molecular groups in the second and third spheres of an ion, exhibiting high-frequency vibrations, have a noticeable effect on the rate constants of nonradiative transitions k _nr in the ion. From this comparison, some inferences on the structure of the solvate shell of the Ln(DPA) ₃ ^3? complexes in the solvents used are made. The contributions to k _nr of Eu(III), Tb(III), Sm(III), Dy(III), Nd(III), and Yb(III) made by OH and CH groups located at different distances from the ion are estimated. It is demonstrated that the dependence of k _nr on the distance to the OH and CH groups is steeper for the Eu(III) and Tb(III) ions than for the remaining ions.     

A mechanism of nonradiative transitions in lanthanide ions and the number of water molecules in their first coordination sphere

The luminescence decay times τ_lum of the ions Sm(III), Eu(III), Tb(III), and Dy(III) in glacial acetic acid, along with τ_lum and q _lum of these ions in H₂O and D₂O in the presence of anions CO ₃ ^2? and in their absence, are measured. The number of OH groups (N _OH) in the first coordination sphere of these lanthanide ions is determined. It was shown that, for all the ions in acetic acid, N _OH≈3, while, in an H₂O+2 M Cs₂CO₃ solution, N _OH≈2.5. The experimental data on the influence of the CO ₃ ^2? anions on the rate constant of nonradiative transitions (k _nr) in the Eu(III) and Tb(III) ions are compared with calculations of k _nr performed in the dipole-dipole approximation of the inductive resonance theory. It is found that such calculations cannot correctly describe the dependence of k _nr on N _OH. The quadrupole-dipole approximation of this theory was shown to be capable of adequately describing this dependence. The criteria for applying either approximation of the theory to describe experimentally observed dependences of k _nr on N _OH are discussed.     

Effect of the medium and the formation of nanostructures on deexcitation of electronic excitation of Eu(III) and Tb(III) chelates

The intensity I _lum and lifetime τ_lum of the luminescence of complexes of Eu(III) and Tb(III) ions with β-diketones and o-phenanthroline in water-ethanol solutions of these ligands have been analyzed as functions of the concentrations of ligand, luminescing lanthanide ions, and added ions causing columinescence and of the solvent deuteration. It is shown that the formation of nanostructures from Ln complexes and their coarsening leads to an increase in τ_lum of Eu(III) and Tb(III) and that this increase is due to the suppression of both photochemical deexcitation of these ions and transfer of their electronic excitation energy to OH vibrations of water molecules. The disappearance of the dependence of I _lum of Eu(III) on deuteration of water-ethanol solutions of n-methoxybenzoyltrifluoracetone + o-phenanthroline caused by adding Gd(III) ions is explained by the shift of the equilibrium of formation of complexes of Ln chelates to neutral hydrophoblic forms corresponding to the formation of nanostructures of these chelates in the solution. The differences in effect of La(III) and Gd(III) ions on I _lum and τ_lum of Eu(III) and Tb(III) complexes are explained. It is shown that the widely discussed effect of columinescence not only results from the energy migration in mixed structures of Eu or Tb complexes and Gd complexes but is also due to a large extent to the decrease in τ_lum of Eu(III) or Tb(III) caused by their incorporation into nanostructures.     

Energy transfer between lanthanide ions in nanostructures of their complexes. II

The changes in the luminescence intensity and in the luminescence lifetime of Eu, Tb, and Sm complexes with some β-diketones and 1,10-phenanthroline that occur upon formation of nanostructures with complexes of triply charged ions Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb—acceptors of the electronic excitation of luminescing ions—are compared for the first time. Pairs of lanthanide ions are suggested to exist inside nanostructures, which are bound by a bridge at a distance shorter (0.4 nm) in comparison with the size of interacting complexes. For a large number of pairs of donor and acceptor ions, the averaged probabilities (w _t) of energy transfer between these ions in nanostructures in the solution of each β-diketone under study are calculated. Based on the comparison of w _t with the predictions of the theory of the inductive resonance and exchange resonance energy transfer mechanisms, the average distance R between Ln(III) ions interacting in given fragments of nanostructures is estimated for each donor-acceptor pair, and the energy transfer mechanism is identified for the first time. It is shown that energy can be transferred between Ln(III) ions in nanostructures both according to the inductive resonance and via the exchange resonance mechanisms. The type of the transfer mechanism depends on the spectral parameters of interacting ions and on the ability of complexes of given acceptor ions to form heteronuclear nanostructures, whose composition determines the distance R. The variation in the value of R revealed for different ion pairs is explained by the occurrence of exchange resonance interactions between some ions. The overestimated probabilities w _t for ion pairs characterized precisely by exchange resonance interactions can be explained by the influence of covalent bonds in nanostructures of Ln chelates on π conjugation of overlapped electronic shells of interacting particles. By using the method of energy transfer between Ln(III) ions of complexes from distant spheres of a structure, the average minimal size of nanostructures formed is estimated to be 2.6–3.4 nm.     

Luminescence properties of europium(III) compounds with quinaldic acid and nitrogen-containing ligands

Luminescent mixed-ligand Eu(III) complexes with quinaldic acid and nitrogen-containing dimeric ligands are synthesized. The thermal and spectral-luminescent properties of the obtained mixedligand Eu(III) complexes are studied. It is shown that a water molecule and a neutral ligand are detached during thermolysis in two stages with endothermic effects. It is found that the quinaldinate ion is coordinated to a europium(III) ion in a bidentate fashion. The Stark structure of the 5D₀–7F _j (j = 0, 1, 2) transitions in the low-temperature luminescence spectra of europium(III) complexes is analyzed.     

A mechanism of energy transfer in binuclear fluoride lanthanide complexes in aqueous electrolyte solutions

The energy transfer between different pairs of lanthanide ions bonded by fluoride bridges into labile binuclear complexes is studied in aqueous solution at different ratios between the concentrations of lanthanide ions and fluoride anions ([Ln]: [F]). It is shown that, if the concentrations [Ln] and [F] are of the same order of magnitude, the energy transfer rate constant k _t does not depend on the choice of the pairs of interacting ions and is determined by the association rate constant of Ln(III) ions into binuclear complexes. If the concentration of the lanthanide ions is much greater than that of the fluoride ions, k _t varies proportionally to the monomolecular energy transfer rate constants in the binuclear complexes. It is assumed that, in the first case, Ln(III) ions are bonded through two fluoride anions, whereas, in the second case, they are bonded through one anion. The analysis of the variations in k _t in the latter systems shows that the exchange-resonance mechanism should be taken into account for the explanation of the experimental data. The effects that the introduction into the solution of different contents of salts of strong acids—AlCl₃, MgCl₂, Ca(NO₃)₂, CsCl, RbBr, and NaCl—have on k _t and on the regularities of the energy transfer between Ln(III) ions bonded into binuclear fluoride complexes are studied. The effects of these electrolytes on the luminescence intensity and spectrum of Eu(III) ions and on the values of k _t for the energy transfer between Ln(III) ions bonded into binuclear complexes are analyzed. It is shown that, at some concentration ratio [Ln]: [F], for all electrolytes studied except AlCl₃, the value of k _t increases despite the fact that the concentration of mononuclear complexes of Ln(III) ions with fluorine decreases in the presence of these electrolytes. It is ascertained that the anions of strong acids in the outer sphere of lanthanide ions increase the association constant of Ln(III) ions in binuclear fluoride complexes.     

A Mechanism of the influence of Gd(III) and other Ln(III) ions on sensitized luminescence of Eu(III) and Tb(III) ions in aqueous and ethanol solutions: The role of hydroxyl bridges

We studied sensitization of Eu(III) and Tb(III) ions by molecules of 1,10-phenanthroline and 2,2-bipyridil in D₂O and d ₆-ethanol and the influence of Nd(III), Pr(III), Sm(III), Gd(III), and Ho(III) ions on the luminescence intensity I _lum and lifetime τ_lum of Eu(III) and Tb(III) in solutions. The stability constants of complexes of Eu(III) and Gd(III) with 2,2′-bipyridil are measured by spectrophotometric and luminescence methods. It is shown that luminescence of Eu(III) is quenched by Gd(III) ions at the ion concentration equal to 10^?2–10^?1 M, which is caused by competing between these ions for a sensitizer. At the concentration of Ln(III) ions equal to 10^?6?10^?3 M, the sensitized luminescence of Eu(III) and Tb(III) was quenched and τ_lum decreased in the presence of Nd(III) ions, whereas in the presence of Gd(III) the luminescence intensity increased. It is proved that a bridge that connects the two ions upon energy transfer is formed by hydroxyl groups. The intensity of luminescence of Eu(III) and Tb(III) in aqueous solutions and its lifetime decreased in the presence of hydroxyl groups, while upon addition of Gd(III) to these solutions these quantities were restored. We also found that the addition of Gd(III) to deoxygenated ethanol solutions of 2,2′-bipyridil and Eu(III) slows down photochemical and thermal reactions between bipyridil and Eu(III), resulting in the increase in the luminescence intensity of Eu(III).     

Synthesis,Optical Investigation and Biological Properties of Europium(III) Complexes with 2-(4-Chlorophenyl)-1-(2-Hydroxy-4-Methoxyphenyl)Ethan-1-one and Ancillary Ligands

Synthesis and photoluminescence behaviour of six novel europium complexes with novel β-hydroxyketone ligand, 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)ethan-1-one (CHME) and 2,2′-bipyridine (bipy) or neocuproine (neo) or 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) or 5,6-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dmphen) or bathophenanthroline (bathophen) were reported in solid state. The free ligand CHME and europium complexes, Eu(CHME)₃.2H₂O [1] Eu(CHME)₃.bipy [2], Eu(CHME)₃.neo [3], Eu(CHME)₃.phen [4], Eu(CHME)₃.dmphen [5] and Eu(CHME)₃.bathophen [6]were characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR and ¹H-NMR. The photoluminescence emission spectra exhibited four characteristic peaks arising from the ⁵D₀ → ⁷F_J (J = 1–4) transitions of the europium ion in the solid state on monitoring excitation at λ_ex = 395 nm. The luminescence decay curves of these europium complexes possess single exponential behaviour indicating the presence of a single luminescent species and having only one site symmetry in the complexes. The luminescence quantum efficiency (η) and the experimental intensity parameters, Ω ₂ and Ω ₄ of europium complexes have also been calculated on the basis of emission spectra and luminescence decay curves. In addition, the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities were also studied of the investigated complexes.     

Sensitive Spectrofluorimetric Study of the Interaction between Europium(III) and 1,2-Phenylenebis(azan-1-yl-1-ylidene) bis(methan-1-yl-1-ylidene)diphenol Schiff Base

A sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric method has been developed for the rapid determination of europium(III). This method is based on the formation of nonluminous complex between Eu(III) and a Schiff base reagent N, N′-bis (salicylidene)-1,2-phenylenediamine (PABD) and measuring the fluorescence quenching of Eu(III)-PABD complex at λ_ex/em = 390/577 nm. The fluorescence intensity complex decreased linearly by increasing the Eu(III) concentration in the range of 1.0–13.0 μM. The optimum conditions for the complex formation were determined such as a pH .0 of borate buffer. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of Eu(III) were determined and found to be 0.217 and 0.653 μM, respectively. The maximum relative standard deviation of the method for an europium(III) standard of 6.0 μM was 2.07 % (n = 6). The proposed procedures could be applied successfully for the determination of the investigated metal ion in some spiked water samples with a good precision and accuracy compared to official and reported methods as revealed by t- and F-tests.     

Luminescence of Nile red as indicator of composition of nanoparticles from diketonate complexes of trivalent metals

We study the sensitization of fluorescence of Nile red in nanoparticles formed in aqueous solutions of complexes of Al, In, Sc, and Lu with DBM, DBM, and phen and of complexes of In with MBTA and phen. We show that, at concentrations of Nile red of 2–50 nM and complexes of 10–30 μM, the fluorescence intensity of Nile red in aqueous solutions increases by 1.5–2 orders of magnitude compared to its fluorescence in H₂O. We find that, at these concentrations of Nile red in solutions of complexes Al, the dye is completely contained in nanoparticles from these complexes. We show that Nile red molecules are inhomogeneously distributed in nanoparticles from complexes and, upon the completion of the formation of nanoparticles, dye molecules tend to be localized in regions of nanoparticles formed from diketonate complexes M(diketone)₃phen (M is Lu or In) and Al(DBM)₃. Upon the localization of Nile red in these regions, the maximum of its fluorescence spectrum shifts toward ∼600 nm and, upon the penetration of Nile red into nanoparticles from Sc complexes, the shift of the maximum of its fluorescence spectrum compared to the spectrum in water does not exceed 10 nm. The shifts of the spectra are collated with the ability of ions to form diketonate and hydroxy diketonate complexes. We demonstrate that the fluorescence of Nile red is efficiently sensitized, not only upon its penetration into nanoparticles formed from complexes, but also upon its adsorption on the nanoparticle surface when Nile red molecules are introduced in solutions of already formed nanoparticles.     

The mutual influence of two different dyes on their sensitized fluorescence (cofluorescence) in nanoparticles from complexes

We have studied the fluorescence sensitization and quenching for pairs of different dyes simultaneously incorporated into nanoparticles from complexes M(diketone)₃phen, where M(III) is La(III), Lu(III), or Sc(III); diketone is p-phenylbenzoyltrifluoroacetone (PhBTA) or naphthoyltrifluoroacetone (NTA); and phen is 1,10-phenanthroline. We have shown that, upon formation of nanoparticles in the solution in the presence of two dyes the concentrations of which are either comparable with or lower than the concentration of nanoparticles (<20 nM), the intensities of the sensitized fluorescence of dyes in nanoparticles in binary solutions and in solutions of either of the dyes coincide. We have found that the intensity of sensitized fluorescence of small (<20 nM) concentrations of rhodamine 6G (R6G) or Nile blue (NB) increases by an order of magnitude upon simultaneous introduction into nanoparticles of 1 μM of coumarin 30 (C30), while the intensity of fluorescence of C30 sensitized by complexes decreases by an order of magnitude. The same effect is observed as 1 μM of R6G are introduced into nanoparticles with NB ([NB] ≤ 20 nM). The increase in the fluorescence of dye molecules upon their incorporation from the solution into nanoparticles from complexes is noticeably lower than that expected from the proposed ratio of concentrations of complexes and dyes in nanoparticles. Analysis of the obtained data indicates that the introduction of large concentrations of C30 or R6G dyes into nanoparticles makes it possible to prevent large energy losses due to impurities or upon transition to a triplet state that arises during the migration of the excitation energy over S ₁ levels of complexes. Energy accumulated by these dyes is efficiently transferred to another dye that is present in the solution at lower concentrations and that has a lower-lying S ₁ level, which makes it possible to increase its fluorescence by an order of magnitude upon its incorporation into nanoparticles.     

Properties of a thin-film electroluminescent diode based on poly(<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-vinylcarbazole) doped by the tris complex of europium with dibenzoylmethane and 1,10-phenanthroline

The electroluminescence spectra of thin-film organic diodes with light-emitting layers that consist of poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) doped by the tris complex of europium with dibenzoylmethane and 1,10-phenanthroline [Eu(DBM)₃phen] are investigated. It is revealed that an increase in the Eu(DBM)₃phen concentration in the light-emitting layer leads to an increase in the decay rate of electroluminescence of the cell. A decrease in the contribution from the intensity of the luminescence lines associated with the Eu(DBM)₃phen complex to the total electroluminescence spectrum of the cell with time is explained by the degradation of Eu(DBM)₃phen molecules upon excitation.     

Fluorescence enhancement of lanthanide(III) perchlorate by 1,10-phenanthroline in bis(benzoylmethyl) sulfoxide complexes and luminescence mechanism

Two novel ternary rare earth complexes LnL₅L′(ClO₄)₃2H₂O (Ln=Eu(III), Tb(III); L=bis(benzoylmethyl) sulfoxide, L′=phen) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, coordination titration analysis, molar conductivity, IR, TG-DSC,¹H NMR and UV spectra. The fluorescence spectra illustrated that both the Eu(III) and Tb(III) ternary complexes displayed strong characteristic metal-centered fluorescence in solid state. After the introduction of the second ligand phen group, the relative emission intensities and fluorescence lifetimes of the ternary complex EuL₅L′(ClO₄)₃2H₂O (L=C₆H₅COCH₂SOCH₂COC₆H₅, L′=phen) enhanced more obviously than that of the binary complex EuL₅(ClO₄)₃3H₂O. This indicated that the presence of both organic ligands bis(benzoylmethyl) sulfoxide and the second ligand phen could sensitize fluorescence intensities of Eu(III) ions, and the introduction of phen group was resulted in the enhancement of the fluorescence properties of the Eu(III) ternary rare earth complexes. The phosphorescence spectra are also discussed.     

Intramolecular energy transfer in mesogenic europium (III) adduct

The absorption and emission spectra of a liquid-crystalline melt prepared on the basis of a synthesized mesogenic europium (III) adduct are studied in the temperature range from 77 to 348 K. The main channels and rate constants of intramolecular energy transfer from ligands to Eu (III) ions are determined from the absorption and luminescence spectra and luminescence kinetics of the sample under study. It is shown that the liquid-crystalline melt of the europium (III) adduct has a high photostability and an intense luminescence in the temperature range from 77 to 300 K, which allows one to consider it as a promising material for optoelectronic devices. Above room temperature, the relaxation time of the ⁵ D ₀ level of Eu (III) ions sharply shortens. An analysis of the kinetics of the luminescence corresponding to the ⁵ D ₀ → ⁷ F ₂ transition shows that the relaxation of the ⁵ D ₀ level in the temperature range from 300 to 348 K occurs through a charge-transfer state.