Preparation of luminescent polystyrene microspheres via surface‐modified route with rare earth (Eu 3+ and Tb 3+ ) complexes linked to 2,2′‐bipyridine

Abstract Luminescent polystyrene microspheres were easily fabricated from poly (styrene‐co‐methacrylic acid) and aqueous RE(III) chloride solution (RE=Eu, Tb) in the presence of 2,2′‐bipyridine as second ligand. The negative charges of carboxyl groups on the surface of microspheres coordinated with rare earth ions at first, such as complexes covalently linked to 2,2′‐bipyridine, resulting in strong photoluminescence. Various methods, including transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), and fluorescence spectrophotometer, were used to characterize the resultant polystyrene composite microspheres. This work highlights the idea that it is facile to synthesis luminescent microspheres by surface‐modified method directly.