We report the in situ formation of two novel metal-organic frameworks based on terbium and dysprosium ions using azobenzene-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid (H₂abd) as ligand, synthesized by soft hydrothermal routes. Both materials show isostructural three-dimensional networks with channels along a axis and display intense photoluminescence properties in the solid state at room temperature. Textural properties of the metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been fully characterized although no appreciable porosity was obtained. Magnetic properties of these materials were studied, highlighting the dysprosium material displays slightly frequency-dependent out of phase signals when measured under zero external field and under an applied field of 1000 Oe.
Keywords: dysprosium; luminescence; magnetism; metal-organic framework; terbium.