Preparation, structure, and properties of a novel chain-like terbium–mercury complex

Abstract

By means of hydrothermal reactions, a novel terbium–mercury compound, {[Tb(IA)₃(H₃O)₂]_2n[2n(HgCl₄)][n(HgCl₅)]}·3nH₃O·nH₂O (1) (HIA = isonicotinc acid) was prepared and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. It exhibits a one-dimensional (1D) chain-like structure. Solid-state photoluminescence measurement shows that it display green light emission. The emission bands originate from the characteristic emissions of the 4f electrons intrashell transitions of ⁵D₄ → ⁷F_J (J = 6, 5, 4, and 3) of the terbium(III) ions in 1. The photoluminescence emission energy transfer mechanism is elucidated by the energy level diagrams of the terbium(III) and isonicotinic acid ligand. Complex 1 has CIE chromaticity coordinates of (0.3177, 0.4440). Solid-state UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectra reveal that it has a wide optical band gap of 3.03 eV.

Graphical abstract

A terbium–mercury compound with a 1D chain-like structure is reported. A solid-state photoluminescence measurement shows that it can emit green light emission which can be ascribed to the characteristic emissions of the 4f electrons intrashell transitions of ⁵D₄ → ⁷F_J (J = 6, 5, 4, and 3) of the terbium(III) ions. It possesses CIE chromaticity coordinates of (0.3177, 0.4440) and a wide optical band gap of 3.03 eV.

Keywords:

• Chromaticity coordinate
• energy transfer
• isonicotinc acid
• photoluminescence
• hydrothermal

Additional information

Funding

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the NSF of China [21361013], Jiangxi Provincial Department of Education’s Item of Science and Technology (GJJ170637), and The Open Foundation [20180008] of the State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences.