Luminescence and thermal stability of sodium tris(pyridine dicarboxylate) terbate(III) complex incorporated in silica matrix by sol-gel method

A terbium(III) complex, Na3Tb(DPA)(3). 9H(2)O. where H,DPA is 2,6-dicarboxy pyridine acid. has been synthesized and incorporated into silica gel by so l-gel method to obtain a composite material, SiO2:Na3Tb(DPA)(3), Photolumin escent properties of SiO2:Na3Tb(DPA)(3) composite were studied after heat t reatments between room temperature and 600 degreesC. The strong green emiss ion of the composite material was intensified by heat-treatment under appro priate conditions. The effects of the dopant concentration and heat-treatme nt on the luminescence for the composite material have been examined. The r esults indicate that SiO2:Na(3)To(DPA)(3) composite material possesses high thermal stability with intense green fluorescence, and may be applied as a potential luminescent material. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.