Ternary terbium complexes were fully encapsulated and uniformly distributed into the channels of unmodifiedand modified mesoporous molecule sieves of SBA-15 and characterized by transmission electron micrographs(TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectra,inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), and elemental analysis. The luminescentproperties for the encapsulated complexes were systematically studied in contrast to the pure complexes,including excitation and emission spectra, fluorescence dynamics, photostability under UV exposure, and thetemperature dependence of intensity and lifetime. The results indicate that the excitation bands assigned tothe
-
* electron transition of the ligands for Tb complexes encapsulated in SBA-15 were split into differentcomponents due to decreased symmetry and disappeared at long wavelengths. Owing to suppressed vibrationtransitions, the outer quantum efficiency of the
5D
4-
7F
J (
J = 0-5) emissions was enhanced largely in comparisonto the pure complexes. In addition, the photostability and thermostability of the emissions were also improvedconsiderably.