Study of synthesis and luminescent properties of a novel terbium rare earth complex Tb(PCAD)3Phen

Rare earth complex Tb(PCAD)3Phen was synthesized by introducing 3-pyridylacetic acid (PCAD) and phenanthroline (1,10-Phen) as the ligands and characterized by UV, fluorescent, IR spectra and X-ray diffraction (XRD) as well as elemental analysis. The complex exhibited ligand-sensitized green emission, and it has higher sensitized luminescent efficiency and longer lifetime. In device ITO/PVK/Tb(PCAD)3Phen/Al, Tb3+ may be excited by intramolecular energy transfer from ligand as observed by electroluminescence. The main emitting peak at 545 nm can be attributed to the transition of 5D4 → 7F5 of Tb3+ ion and this process results in the enhancement of green emission from electroluminescence device. The effect and mechanism of the ligands (PCAD and 1,10-Phen) on the luminescence properties of terbium complex were discussed. The present study may be important and helpful for the development of green color rare earth display applications.