Metal–organic framework solid solutions of rare earth ions Tb3+, Eu3+ and Y3+ with pyridine-2, 4, 6-tricarboxylate ligand emitting high quantum yield white light

A series of rare earth metal organic frameworks (MOFs), including Tb-PTC and solid solutions TbxEuyY1-x-y-PTC with pyridine-2, 4, 6-tricarboxylic acid (H3PTC), have been prepared using a hydrothermal synthesis method and characterized by single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and thermogravimetric analysis techniques etc. Tb-PTC and TbxEuyY1-x-y-PTC are isomorphous with 1D zigzag metal-oxide chains, which are further interlinked into 3D framework by the connection of PTC3− ligands. The solid solutions, TbxEuyY1-x-y-PTC, are single-phase white-light emitters with higher quantum yields (47.6–69.6%) and longer millisecond-grade luminescence lifetimes. This study unveils the possibility to achieve high quantum yield white light emitter by rational design of rare earth MOF solid solutions.