Complexing Eu³⁺/Tb³⁺ in a Nanoscale Postmodified Zr-MOF toward Temperature-Modulated Multispectrum Chromism

In recent years, extensive research has been directed toward the successful preparation of nanoscale luminescent thermometers with high sensitivities operative in a broad temperature range. To achieve this goal, we have devised a unique design and facile multistep synthesis of Zr-ctpy-NMOF@TbxEuy compounds by confining Ln-complexes (Ln = Eu3+/Tb3+) into a robust nanoscale Zr-NMOF (MOF-808) via postsynthetic modification. Covalent grafting of 4-(4′-carboxyphenyl)-2,2′:6,2″terpyridine ligand (ctpy) with a high triplet state energy and corresponding immobilization of bimetallic Ln3+ ions resulted in yellow light-emitting Zr-ctpy-NMOF@Tb1.66Eu0.14 to achieve a sensitivity of 5.2% K–1 (thermal uncertainty dT < 1 K) operative over a broad temperature range of 25–400 K. To defeat the odds related to the detection of minute temperature changes using luminescent materials, we prepared a white light-emitting Zr-ctpy-NMOF@Tb1.4Eu0.31 that showed temperature-modulated multispectrum chromism where the color drastically changes from green (at 25 K, Q.Y.: 20.21%) to yellowish-green (at 200 K, Q.Y.: 23.13%) to white (at 300 K, Q.Y.: 26.4%) to orange (at 350 K, Q.Y.: 26.93%) and finally red (at 400 K, Q.Y.: 28.2%) with a high energy transfer efficiency of 49.8%, which is further supported by electron–phonon coupling.