The influence of pressure on the photoluminescence properties of a terbium-adipate framework

•High-pressure luminescence spectra for a Tb framework were collected.•High-pressure single-crystal XRD experiments were conducted with the Tb Framework.•The framework undergoes two pressure-induced phase transitions.•The three phases of the material show different photoluminescence behaviour.

The influence of pressure (over the 0–4.7 GPa range) on the photoluminescence emissions and crystal structure of the known 3D terbium-adipate metal-organic framework material Tb-GWMOF6 has been evaluated by high-pressure single-crystal X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic techniques. The results from this study show that this complex lanthanide framework structure undergoes three phase transitions within the 0–4 GPa pressure range that involve alterations in the number of symmetry independent Tb3+ ion sites within the crystal lattice. These pressure induced modifications to the structure of Tb-GWMOF6 lead to pronounced changes in the profiles of the 5D4→7F5 emission spectra of this complex.

Graphical abstractThe influence of pressure on the structure and photoluminescence emissions of a 3D terbium-adipate framework. Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide