Preparation and characterization of rare earth complex europium3+-acrylate-1,10-phenanthroline grafted onto polypropylene

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science Vol. 102; no. 2; pp. 1547 - 1552
• Main Authors: Pan, Yuanfeng, Zheng, Anna, Xiao, Huining, Hu, Fuzeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 15.10.2006; Wiley
• Subjects: Applied sciences; crystallization; Exact sciences and technology; fluorescence; Inorganic and organomineral polymers; melt grafting; Physicochemistry of polymers; polypropylene; Preparation; rare earth complex; Propylene copolymer; Graft copolymer; Olefin copolymer; Propylene polymer; Organometallic copolymer; Photoluminescence; Luminescent material; polypropylene; Crystallinity; Experimental study; Grafting; Thermal stability; Thermal properties; rare earth complex; Europium III Complexes; fluorescence; Optical properties; Preparation; melt grafting; crystallization; Olefin polymer; Lanthanide Complexes; Acrylate salt copolymer
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/app.23356

Rare earth (RE) complex photoluminescence films were conventionally prepared by blending. The RE complexes were unevenly dispersed in the polymer matrix, thus readily quenching the fluorescence. An improved approach for preparing photoluminescence films was developed, in which the chemical or covalent bonding between the RE complex and polymer was introduced through melt‐grafting polymerization. An RE complex (europium3+‐acrylate‐1,10‐phenanthroline) [Eu(AA)3phen] was synthesized, and then grafted onto polypropylene (PP) in the melt phase to render the resin fluorescently active. The complex and the grafted PP were systematically characterized using various analytical tools including elemental analysis, TGA, IR DSC, WAXS, and fluorescence. The results indicated that the complex possessed favorable fluorescence and thermal stability, and the Eu(AA)3phen complex was successfully grafted onto the PP backbone. The findings from the DSC and WAXS measurements revealed that the complex acted as a nucleating agent, increasing the crystallization rate effectively and destroying the integrity of the crystallinity as well. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 1547–1552, 2006