Hybrid materials based on lanthanide organic complexes: a review

A great deal of research has been carried out on lanthanide organic complex-based organic-inorganic hybrid materials in the last decade. This critical review begins with a formulation of the fundamentals of lanthanide organic complex luminescence, and presents various current designed ideas, synthetic routes, luminescence behaviors and potentials of the latest advanced (a) sol-gel materials, (b) mesoporous materials, (c) titania materials, (d) ionic liquids and ionogels, (e) polymers, and (f) bifunctional magnetic-optical composites based on lanthanide organic complexes. Finally, challenges and opportunities for further improvement of organic-inorganic hybrid luminescent materials based on lanthanide organic complexes will be discussed.