Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 14, 2026

Nanostructured Ag-zeolite Composites as Luminescence-based Humidity Sensors
Published on: November 15, 2016
Refractive Index Tuning of Hybrid Materials for Highly Transmissive Luminescent Lanthanide Particle-Polymer
Paul Kim1, Cheng Li2, Richard E Riman1
1Department of Materials Science & Engineering , Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey , 607 Taylor Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854-8065 , United States.
Abstract:
High-refractive-index ZrO2 nanoparticles were used to tailor the refractive index of a polymer matrix to match that of luminescent lanthanide-ion-doped (La0.92Yb0.075Er0.005F3) light-emitting particles, thereby reducing scattering losses to yield highly transparent emissive composites. Photopolymerization of blends of an amine-modified poly(ether acrylate) oligomer and tailored quantities of ZrO2 nanoparticles yielded optically transparent composites with tailored refractive indices between 1.49 and 1.69. By matching the refractive index of the matrix to that of La0.92Yb0.075Er0.005F3, composites with high transmittance (>85%) and low haze from the visible to infrared regions, bright 1530 nm optical emissions were achieved at solids loadings of La0.92Yb0.075Er0.005F3, ranging from 5 to 30 vol %. These optical results suggest that a hybrid matrix approach is a versatile strategy for the fabrication of functional luminescent optical composites of high transparency.
Related Concept Videos
Polymers
Polymers
Hybridization of Atomic Orbitals I
Hybrid Zones
Classifying Matter by Composition
According to its composition, the matter can be classified into two broad categories — pure substances and mixtures.
A pure substance is a form of matter that has a constant composition throughout with uniform properties. For example, any sample of sucrose has the same composition and same physical properties, such as melting point, color, and sweetness, regardless of the source from which it is isolated.
A mixture is composed of two or...
The Nucleosome Core Particle
The paradox
Nucleosomes, paradoxically, perform two opposite functions simultaneously. On the one hand, their main responsibility is to protect the delicate DNA strands from physical damage and help achieve a higher compaction ratio. While on the other hand, they must allow polymerase enzymes to access DNA...

