Luminescent Polymer Films from Simple Processing of Coronene and Europium Precursors in Water

Abstract

We describe the preparation and optical characterisation of a coronene tetracarboxylate salt (CS) in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) thin films solution-processed from water, neat, and mixed with varying ratios of a europium trishexafluoroacetylacetoanto diaquo complex [Eu(hfac) 3 (H 2 O) 2 ]. Neat CS-PVA showed not only well-defined fluorescence peaks but also a long-lived phosphorescence emission, persisting for more than 1 second. Interaction between the CS and Eu(III) molecules, mediated via carboxylate coordination to the Eu(III), was attained by simple incorporation into the PVA polymer matrix and resulted in energy transfer from the coronone antenna to the europium centre. Under various blend ratios of CS and Eu(III) complex, total photoluminescence quantum yields of typically around 30% were achieved. The straightforward processing of this type of self-assembled chromophore-lanthanide system into a luminescent polymer film offers potential to be readily translated to other chromophores, lanthanides and polymers.

Bright red emission with high color purity from Eu(iii) complexes with π-conjugated polycyclic aromatic ligands and their sensing applications

“…3 ). Among these, luminescent Eu(III) complexes with triphenylene, 49–53 chrysene, 54–56 [5]-helicene, 44 picene, 57 and coronene 58,59 frameworks have already been reported (chemical structures and their photophysical properties are shown in Fig. S1 and S2 in the ESI † ).…”