Dispersion of luminescent nanoparticles in different derivatives of poly(ethyl methacrylate)

Gd2O3:Tb(5%) nanoparticles were prepared via the polyol route and dispersed without any stabilizer in several ethyl methacrylate derivatives matrices such as poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(2-methoxyethyl methacrylate) and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA). Nanocomposites were obtained via free-radical polymerization of methacrylic monomers with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as crosslinker and colloidal solution of Gd2O3:Tb(5%) nanoparticles. Best results are obtained with PHEMA in which the dispersed Gd2O3:Tb(5%) nanoparticles are spherical with a mean diameter of 15 nm, as measured by TEM. The obtained solid Gd2O3:Tb(5%)/PHEMA nanocomposites are highly transparent (in the visible spectral range) and exhibit characteristic photoluminescence of Tb3+ 5D4-7F(J) (J = 6-3), with 5D4-7F5 strong green emission at 536 nm upon UV excitation. The nanoparticles and nanocomposites have been well characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM), UV/Vis transmission spectra, photoluminescence excitation, and emission spectra.