Optical response of Ce(III) and Eu(II) doped hybrid materials synthesised by Sol-Gel processing

This study deals with the preparation of two hybrid organic-inorganic matrices via sol-gel, starting from alkylalkoxisilanes Si(CH3)(OCH2CH3)(3), (MTEOS)-SiH(CH3)(OCH2CH3)(2) (MDES), A system, and SiH(CH3)(OCH2CH3)(2) (MDES) SiH(OCH2CH3)(3) (TREOS), B system, together with zirconium n-propoxide. Another type-A is carried out by adding acetylacetone, A-acac system. The matrices are characterised by infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR-MAS), and chemical analysis. Optical characteristics of the matrices have been studied. A-acac and B matrices are doped with an Eu(III) salt, and A and B matrices are doped with a Ce(IV) salt. Absorption and emission studies show the presence of Eu(II) and Ce(III). The transition metal alkoxide that catalysed cleavage of the Si-H bonds was used to reduce in situ at room temperature, the rare earth cations. Depending on chemical strategy, the resulting hybrid materials can be processed as transparent bulks or coatings which exhibit a good transparency in the UV-visible domain. Both the-undoped and the rare earth doped matrices exhibit a strong blue emission.