Luminescent silica nanocomposites functionalized with a Eu-complex have been prepared and characterized. The europium complex is composed of 2,2′-bipyridyl (BPy) and 2-(4-bromomethyl)phenylpropionic acid (BMPPA), which contains highly active benzyl bromide substituents and can covalently bind with poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP)-modified silica nanoparticles (nanoSiO2P4VP) to form nanoSiO2P4VPEuBPy composites. Microscopic images revealed that the nanoSiO2P4VPEuBPy composites easily formed aggregates, due to an inter-particle binding caused by the benzyl bromide among the composites. The as-prepared nanocomposites showed the typical emissions of Eu(III) ions at the wavelengths from 580 nm to 750 nm designated to the 5D0 → 7Fn transitions. Time-resolved fluorescence decay measurements revealed that the emission lifetime was approximately 0.204 ms and 0.576 ms for the nanoSiO2EuBPy composites, a little shorter than that in the Eu(BMPPA)3BPy complex.Luminescent europium complex functionalized nanocomposites were prepared through addition reaction of 2-(4-bromomethyl)phenylpropionicacid with poly(4-vinylpyridine)-modified silica nanoparticles.

•Zinc polymeric porphyrins were synthesized.•Porphyrin-doped optically transparent thin films were prepared.•Polymeric porphyrin-doped PMMA thin films gave off red fluorescence emission.Polymeric zinc porphyrin derivatives were prepared through an axial coordination reaction of a charged water-soluble zinc porphyrin (ZnTMPyP) with poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PVP). Molar ratios of the porphyrin substituents relative to the pyridine monomers of PVP in the as-prepared polymeric porphyrins were about 1:30, 1:250 and 1:1000. Moreover, ZnTMPyP and ZnTMPyP–PVP doped poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) composites and their optically transparent thin films were prepared. Compositions and spectroscopic properties of these porphyrins were investigated by using UV–vis absorption, infrared, X-ray electron and fluorescence spectroscopy as well as time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The Soret absorption band of the porphyrins appeared at 438 nm in the methanol solutions, which red shifted to 456 nm in the doped PMMA films. Although the ZnTMPyP solid powders gave off very weak luminescent emission, its functionalized polymers and doped PMMA thin films gave off strong emissions at around 640 nm. It was revealed that emission lifetime of the zinc porphyrin was about 0.2 ns in the solid powders and 0.6–1.5 ns in the polymeric porphyrins and the doped composite thin films.