Electrospinning preparation and properties of Fe3O4/Eu(BA)3phen/PVP magnetic-photoluminescent bifunctional composite nanofibers

Europium complex Eu(BA)(3)phen (BA = benzoic acid, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) and ferro-ferric oxide nanoparticles were incorporated into polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and electrospun into composite fibers. The average diameter of the composite fibers was about 265 +/- 26 nm. The morphology and properties of the final products were investigated in detail by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, and fluorescence spectrometer. Fluorescence emission peaks of Eu3+ were observed in the Fe3O4/Eu(BA)(3)phen/PVP composite nanofibers and assigned to the transitions of D-5(0) -> F-7(0) (581 nm), D-5(0) -> F-7(1) (592 nm), D-5(0) -> F-7(2) (617 nm) of Eu3+, and the D-5(0) -> F-7(2) hypersensitive transition at 617 nm was the predominant emission peak. The factors effecting fluorescence intensity were researched through investigation of different ratios of Eu(BA)(3)phen to PVP and Fe3O4 nanoparticles to PVP. The results indicated that optimum mass percentage of Eu(BA)(3)phen to PVP was 15 %. Adding more Fe3O4 nanoparticles could enhance saturation magnetization of the composite fibers, but the fluorescence intensity was decreased. The fluorescence and magnetism of the composite nanofibers can be tuned via adding of various amounts of Eu(BA) 3phen and Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The new type bifunctional magnetic-photoluminescent Fe3O4/Eu(BA) 3phen/PVP composite nanofibers have potential applications in many fields due to their excellent magnetism and fluorescence.