Luminescent trade-off effect arising from Y³⁺ ion doping in rare earth metal–organic framework solid solutions Tb_1-xY_x-PTC (H₃PTC = pyridine-2, 4, 6-tricarboxylate)

A series of rare earth solid solutions, Tb_1-xY_x-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, and thermogravimetric analysis techniques etc. Tb_1-xY_x-PTC are isomorphous with 1D zigzag metal-oxide chains and 2D coordination polyhedral layers, which are further interlinked into 3D framework by the connection of PTC³⁻ ligands. The photoluminescent behaviors of the solid solutions Tb_1-xY_x-PTC were carefully studied. The QY of Tb_1-xY_x-PTC with appropriate amount of Y³⁺ ion is obviously enhanced due to reducing dipole–dipole and quadrupole–quadrupole interaction between emitters of Tb³⁺ ions. This study demonstrates that the formation of solid solutions by introducing optically inactive ions is an efficient strategy to get improved photoluminescent materials.