Luminescent lanthanide coordination polymers with transformative energy transfer processes for physical and chemical sensing applications

• One-, two-, and three-dimensional luminescent lanthanide coordination polymers are focused for sensing applications. • Changeable luminescence come from the energy transfer between lanthanide(III) ions and aromatic organic ligands. • Their physical and chemical sensitive luminescence are useful for future sensing applications. The photophysical process of lanthanide(III) ion is based on the 4f-4f transition, which is the Laporte forbidden with narrow emission band and long emission lifetime. The 4f-4f emission process is affected by introducing aromatic organic ligands. In this review, recent progress of one-, two-, and three-dimensional polymer-typed lanthanide complexes, luminescent lanthanide coordination polymers, are focused for physical and chemical sensing applications. Their changeable luminescence depended on the physical and chemical environments come from the energy transfer between lanthanide(III) ions and aromatic organic ligands. The characteristic physical (temperature, pressure, pH and mechanical force) and chemical (adsorption of metal ions and molecules) sensitive luminescence of lanthanide coordination polymers are useful for future sensing applications.