Facile preparation and characterization of luminescent polystyrene composite microspheres

Luminescent microspheres [poly(St-co-VBA)–Tb] were easily fabricated from poly(St-co-VBA) and aqueous Tb(III) chloride solution in the presence of triethylamine. The negative charges on the surface of microspheres coordinated with Tb3+, resulting in strong photoluminescence. Such terbium compounds were firmly stabilized in the microspheres. Various methods, including TGA, TEM, SEM-EDS, ICP-MS, EPR, SEM, FT-IR, fluorescence spectrophotometry and laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy, were used to characterize the resultant polystyrene composite microspheres.