Preparation and Photoluminescence Properties of Tb3+and Rhodamine B Composite Films Supported by ZrO2 Nanotube Arrays

ZrO2 can be used as both the matrix for rare earth ions and the supporting material for organic fluorescent molecules. In this work, using ZrO2 nanotube array films (ZNA) as the supporting material, Tb3+ composite films (Tb-ZrO2/ZNA) were obtained by depositing Tb3+-doped ZrO2 nanoparticles into ZNA through ionic layer adsorption deposition method. Then, rhodamine B (RB) was immobilized on Tb-ZrO2/ZNA to obtain RB@Tb-ZrO2/ZNA composite films. The photoluminescence (PL) properties, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and ultraviolet (UV) display performances of the composite films were studied. Results show that the Tb3+ ions in RB@Tb-ZrO2/ZNA can significantly enhance the PL emission of RB with a maximum enhancement multiple of up to 3.93-fold. The composite films can display the UV intensity directly through brightness and color changes, among which RB@Tb-ZrO2/ZNA is the brightest and most sensitive to UV light. This work can provide ideas and methods for the preparation and application of organic-inorganic hybrid fluorescent materials.