Luminescent mesoporous silica built through self-assembly of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane and europium(III) ions

Abstract The chemical combination of completely condensed polyhedral oligomeric silsequioxanes and Eu³⁺ ions has allowed the preparation of a novel robust mesoporous silica (Eu-MesoPOSS) with interesting luminescent properties and good hydrothermal and photobleaching stability. These properties make Eu-MesoPOSS a potential candidate for the fabrication of stable and efficient luminescent devices, and a multifunctional platform for bio-imaging applications. Pore Eu: The assembly of completely condensed octa(tetramethylammonium)-functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes and Eu³⁺ ions leads to a novel luminescent hierarchical mesoporous silica with high surface area, good hydrothermal stability, and interesting optical properties (see figure). This material is a promising multifunctional platform for bio-imaging and optoelectronic applications.