The luminescent coarse-, micro- and nanocrystalline europium(III) terephthalate tetrahydrate (Eu₂bdc₃·4H₂O) metal-organic frameworks were synthesized by the ultrasound-assisted wet-chemical method. Electron micrographs show that the europium(III) terephthalate microparticles are 7 μm long leaf-like plates. According to the dynamic light scattering technique, the average size of the Eu₂bdc₃·4H₂O nanoparticles is equal to about 8 ± 2 nm. Thereby, the reported Eu₂bdc₃·4H₂O nanoparticles are the smallest nanosized rare-earth-based MOF crystals, to the best of our knowledge. The synthesized materials demonstrate red emission due to the ⁵D₀–⁷F_J transitions of Eu³⁺ upon 250 nm excitation into ¹ππ* state of the terephthalate ion. Size reduction results in broadened emission bands, an increase in the non-radiative rate constants and a decrease in both the quantum efficiency of the ⁵D₀ level and Eu³⁺ and the luminescence quantum yields. Cu²⁺, Cr³⁺, and Fe³⁺ ions efficiently and selectively quench the luminescence of nanocrystalline europium(III) terephthalate, which makes it a prospective material for luminescent probes to monitor these ions in waste and drinking water.

Thermodynamic data on the properties of the water-based electrolyte systems are very valuable for fundamental physical chemistry and for industrial applications. The missing data both on the dilution and dissolution enthalpies for the ternary CsCl−MgCl₂−H₂O mixed electrolyte system were investigated by means of the calorimetry method. The dilution calorimetry was performed at 298 $\mathrm{K}$ for the set of solutions from diluted to concentrated at constant ratio Cs⁺/Mg²⁺$=1.8$. The relative partial molar enthalpies, ideal, total, and excess ones were calculated. By means of the dissolution calorimetry, the standard enthalpies of formation, the enthalpies, and entropies for the double salt formation from simple salts were evaluated. The results obtained indicate that entropy as the major factor affecting the formation of the joint compound, both in the liquid and solid phases. These data can be implemented in thermodynamic databases and allow for accurate thermodynamic calculations for the salts extraction from natural water sources and for its possible application as thermochemical energy storage.