A class of novel luminescent layered double hydroxide nanotubes

Herein, we report a class of novel lanthanide-doped self-supported layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanotubes featuring a combination of micro- and mesoporosity. The synthesis of the nanotubes has been achieved by a soft-templating strategy. Incorporation of La³⁺, Pr³⁺, Nd³⁺, Sm³⁺, Eu³⁺, Gd³⁺ or Tb³⁺ in the LDHs assisted the self-assembly of the double hydroxide layers onto the surface of Pluronic P-123 worm-like micelles, enabling the formation of the nanotubes. Removal of the micellar template provides accessibility to the mesopores, yielding a network of hollow cylindrical nanotubes with internal diameter of about 10 nm. An antenna molecule (benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate, BTC) is hosted in their 1-nanometre-wide micropores. Upon UV excitation, the nanotubes emit light in a set of wavelengths ranging from the ultraviolet to the infrared.