Electrospun Eu(TTA)3Phen/Polymer Blend Nanofibers for Photoluminescent Smart Fabrics

Here, we report an innovative electrospun composite nanofiber having a complex of Eu(TTA)(3)Phen doped in a matrix of polymer blends prepared by electrospinning for designing smart fabrics. Europium complex Eu(TTA)(3)Phen contains 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone(TTA), 1,10-phenanthroline(Phen) and europium. It was synthesized by co-precipitation technique for the preparation of electrospun nanofibers of Eu(TTA)(3)Phen/polymer blends such as Eu(TTA)(3)Phen/PVDF-PMMA(Polyvinylidene fluoride-Polymethylmethacrylate) and Eu(TTA)(3)Phen/PVDF-PS(Polyvinylidene fluoride-Polystyrene. Nanofibers of Eu(TTA)(3)Phen/polymer blends were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Photoluminescence (Pl). Photoluminescence study of the nanofibers shows red emission which is allocated to the transitions between the first excited state (D-5(0)) and the multiplet states (F-7(0)-4). Due to the integration of Eu(TTA)(3)Phen complex into the polymer matrix and subsequent distortion of the symmetry around the Eu3+ ions by the chapping Polymer, the polarization of the Eu3+ ions was improved, which increased the probability for electronic dipole allowed transitions. The Judd-Ofelt theory was used to calculate intensity parameters from emission data of Eu(TTA)(3)Phen/polymers blends. As compared to PS and PMMA, presence of PVDF in both polymer blends generally increases the intensity of hypersensitive transition and perhaps is responsible for enhancement of photoluminescence properties. Electrospun nanofibers of Eu(TTA)3Phen/PVDF-PS and Eu(TTA)(3)Phen/PVDF-PMMA can be important candidate for designing photoluminescent smart fabrics.