Single polymer photosensitizer for Tb3+ and Eu3+ ions: an approach for white light emission based on...

Here, we have demonstrated a facile molecular approach to generate white light emission by combining carboxylic functionalized poly(m-phenylenevinylene)s polymeric architectures with lanthanide beta-diketonate complexes. The new class of carboxylic functional conjugated polymeric materials was custom-designed from phenyl propanoic and acetic acids and structurally characterized by NMR, FT-IR, and MALDI-TOF spectroscopic techniques. The designed conjugated polymers were employed for the synthesis of lanthanide complexes in the presence of acetyl acetone (acac) as coligand and investigated their photophysical properties. For comparison, carboxylic-anchored oligo-phenylenevinylene (OPV) was also designed, characterized, and utilized for the synthesis of lanthanide complexes in the presence of acetyl acetone as coligand. Investigations revealed that carboxylic functionalized polymeric material with Eu(3+)-beta-diketonate complex exhibits unique magenta emission when excited at 310 nm. On the other hand, carboxylic functionalized polymeric material with Tb(3+)-beta-diketonate complex shows bright sky-blue emission. Interestingly, when Eu(3+) and Tb(3+) were incorporated into polymer backbone in equimolar ratio along with acetyl acetone as coligand, exhibited a white emission with CIE 1976 color coordinates x = 0.28, y = 0.34. The intrinsic quantum yield and lifetime of Ln(3+) complexes have been evaluated. The singlet and triplet energy levels of the antenna chromophore ligands have been calculated and the probable energy transfer mechanisms in Ln(3+) complexes have also been discussed. The effect of polymer structure and spacer effect on the photosensitizing of Tb(3+) and Eu(3+) ions was also investigated.