Polyvinylpyrrolidone Nanofibers Encapsulating an Anhydrous Preparation of Fluorescent SiO(2)–Tb(3+) Nanoparticles

A novel anhydrous preparation of silica (SiO(2))-encapsulated terbium (Tb(3+)) complex nanoparticles has been investigated. The SiO(2)-Tb(3+) nanoparticles are incorporated in electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone hybrid nanofibers. Transmission electron microscopy confirms that Tb(3+) complexes are uniformly and stably encapsulated in or carried by nanosilica. The influence of pH on the fluorescence of Tb(3+) complexes is discussed. The properties, composition, structure, and luminescence of the resulting SiO(2)–Tb(3+) hybrid nanoparticles are investigated in detail. There is an increase in the fluorescence lifetime of SiO(2)–Tb(3+) nanoparticles and SiO(2)–Tb(3+)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) hybrid nanofibers compared with the pure Tb(3+) complexes. Due to the enhanced optical properties, the fluorescent hybrid nanofibers have potential applications as photonic and photoluminescent materials.