X-ray scintillating lanthanide-based coordination polymers

Published

June 23, 2025

Author(s)

Elizabeth Decoteau, Claire Belatti, Huong Giang Nguyen, Luiz Jacobsohn, Robert Surbella, III, Christopher Cahill

Abstract

Reported are the syntheses and characterization of 25 lanthanide-containing coordination polymers exhibiting four structure types: type I': [Ln(TFTP)1.5(bpy)] (Ln = La3+-Nd3+), type I: [Ln(TFTP)1.5(bpy)(H2O)] (Ln = Sm3+-Lu3+), type II': [Pr(TFTP)1.5(phen)], and type II: [Ln(TFTP)1.5(phen)(H2O)] (Ln =Nd3+-Yb3+, excluding Pm). These compounds feature lanthanide metal cations bound to tetrafluoroterephthalate linkers (TFTP) and either, 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) or 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) capping ligands. Initial calculations using crystallographic data revealed large void spaces, ranging from 86 Å3 in type I to 333 Å3 in type II. Yet, adsorption isotherm data indicate very little gas uptake of both materials with a BET surface area of 9 m2/g for I-Tb (8) and 19 m2/g for II-Tb (20). X-ray irradiation of I-Eu (6), II-Eu (18), I-Tb (8), and II-Tb (20) produced visible red and green emission, respectively. Radioluminescence studies of both type I and II with Sm3+, Eu3+, and Tb3+ metal centers indicate that both structure types featuring Tb3+ are brighter than those with Eu3+ or Sm3+. Notably, structure type I with Tb3+ is the brightest scintillator with a relative luminosity of 1.7x that of bismuth germanate (BGO).

Citation

Crystal Growth & Design

Volume

25

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.cgd.5c00485

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Keywords

Scintillation, lanthanides, coordination polymers, metal-organic frameworks, luminescence, radioluminescence.

Citation

Decoteau, E. , Belatti, C. , Nguyen, H. , Jacobsohn, L. , Surbella, R. and III, C. (2025), X-ray scintillating lanthanide-based coordination polymers, Crystal Growth & Design, [online], https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.cgd.5c00485, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=959726 (Accessed October 27, 2025)