Tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (III) complexes (Alq3), one of the molecules studied most widely for organic light-emitting devices, were formed in the interlayer spaces of smectites by solid-solid reactions between Al-smectites (Al-montmorillonite and Al-synthetic saponite (Sumecton)) and 8-hydroxyquinoline (8Hq) at room temperature. The intercalation of 8-hydroxyquinoline molecules into Al-smectites was demonstrated by powder XRD, FTIR, DTA, TG, TG-MS, and chemical analysis. The coordination of the ligand to the interlayer Al cations was proved by FTIR, UV-Vis, and photoluminescence spectroscopies. The luminescence intensity of Alq3-Sumecton was much greater than that of Alq3-montmorillonite, and this was ascribed to the very small amount of quenching impurities in Sumecton.

The adsorption of Eu3+ from aqueous solution to natural Na+-montmorillonite (Kunipia F), synthetic saponite (Sumecton SA) and synthetic fluoro-tetrasilicic mica (Na+-TSM) clay samples was investigated. Adsorption capacities derived from the isotherms were 1.02, 0.71 and 1.00 meq/g of clay, respectively, for Kunipia F, Sumecton SA and Na+-TSM. The adsorption capacities were comparable to the cation exchange capacities of the clays, which were 1.19, 0.71 and 0.94 meq/g of clay, respectively. The greater slope of the TSM adsorption isotherm relative to the montmorillonite and saponite isotherms indicates a high affinity of Eu3+ for Na+-TSM. The high affinity of TSM for Eu3+ was thought to be related to the large electronegativity of the octahedral fluorine groups in TSM. Photoluminescence of adsorbed Eu3+ was observed for saponite and TSM, but not for montmorillonite. Quenching of Eu3+ luminescence by Fe in the montmorillonite structure is the probable reason for this phenomenon. The luminescence intensity varied with the amount of adsorbed Eu3+ for saponite and TSM as a result of self-quenching.

Hybrid films consisting of Sumecton SA smectite (SSA) and a diacetylenic two-photon absorptive dye; 1,4-bis(2,5-dimethoxy-4-{2-[4-(N-methyl)pyridinium]ethenyl}phenyl) butadiyne triflate (MPPBT) were fabricated. The MPPBT-clay composites were prepared by the cation exchange method in a dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)-water mixed solvent. A low-light-scattering film, suitable for use in optical devices, was obtained by filtration of the dispersion of the MPPBT-clay composites. Estimation of the two-photon absorption cross-section (σ(2)) by means of the open-aperture Z-scan technique was performed using the present film. The σ(2) value of MPPBT in the film fabricated at the MPPBT loading levels vs. 20% cation exchange capacity was 1030 GM (1 GM= 1 × 1050 cm4 s photon−1 molecule−1) at an excitation wavelength of 800 nm. The value was 1.3 times greater than the maximum value of the σ(2) of MPPBT diss lved in DMSO with ut clay.