Synthesis and luminescence properties of SBA-15 functionalized with covalently bonded ternary europium complex

Novel hybrid materials containing covalently bonded ternary europium complex in mesoporous silica SBA-15 have been successfully prepared by co-condensation of the modified phenanthroline (phen–Si) and tetrethoxysilane (TEOS). When excited by the ligands absorption wavelength (352 nm), Eu(TTA)3phen (TTA: 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone) functionalized SBA-15 displays the emission of the Eu3+ 5D0 → 7FJ (J = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4) transition lines due to the efficient energy transfer from the ligands to Eu3+.