Review of Photoluminescent–Photochromic Nanocomposites Containing Immobilized Inorganic Lanthanide-Doped Strontium Aluminate Nanoparticles

Synthesizing photoluminescent–photochromic nanocomposites is a broad and active research area with many articles published in recent years. Literature lacks a systematic review of nanocomposites that combine both photoluminescence and photochromism at once. This review article focused on synthesizing, properties, and selected applications of photoluminescent–photochromic nanocomposites. These two characteristics were brought about together in the nanocomposites by the immobilization of inorganic lanthanide-doped strontium aluminate nanoparticles (LSANs) in polymeric or ceramic matrices. The paper began by relating nanotechnology to composite materials and proceeded to discuss the concepts of luminescence and photochromism. Eventually, three main applications of such a class of nanocomposites were discussed in detail. The applications considered were smart windows, smart coatings, and anticounterfeiting. In all applications, the addition of the LSANs to the matrix material imparted magnificent enhancement of the photoluminescent and photochromic characteristics. Furthermore, the presence of LSANs in these nanocomposites caused remarkable enhancement in other properties such as mechanical properties, hydrophobicity, and protection against UV radiation.