Thermoswitchable emission and coloration of a composite material containing a europium(iii) complex and a fluoran dye

Abstract

A multifunctional composite film that exhibited thermoresponsive absorption and emission was fabricated using a thermochromic fluoran dye, its developer, and a luminescent europium(III) complex. The emissions from and coloration of this composite film could be reversibly changed and maintained via the thermochromic reaction taking place within the fluoran dye–developer system. The coloration and decoloration of the composite film were caused by thermoresponsive control of the nanoscale aggregation of structures of the fluoran dye and its developer, whose molecular structure consisted of a long alkyl chain. The control of the phenomenon of photoluminescence could also be achieved via thermochromism, which was induced by intermolecular energy transfer from the Eu(III) ions in the excited state to the fluoran dye.