Structural and optical properties of pillared Eu3+-containing layered double hydroxides intercalated by 2- to 12-carbon aliphatic dicarboxylates

While the versatile composition of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) allows introduction almost any polyvalent cation in their structure, exchangeable negatively charged ions intercalated between plates increase vast range functionalities. Here we report on preparation and optical properties pillared Eu3+-substituted ZnAl LDHs by aliphatic dicarboxylates: ?OOC?(CH2)n–2?COO?. The basal distance these materials is dependent size packing anions. By varying number (n) carbon atoms chain from 2 to 12, interlayer gallery ZnAlEu considerably expanded 0.9 2.1 nm. In gallery, dicarboxylates form a monolayer, with inclined an angle ? ? 63° hydroxide layers. atom COO– group 0.43 nm far metal plane, showing that carboxylates are not grafted brucite-like These thermally stable up around 150 °C, after which dehydroxylation layers observed. Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters were obtained compared Eu3+-containing complexes same ligand series indicating more symmetrical less polarizable chemical environment rare earth ion.