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A preparation strategy of chemically bonded fluorescent functionalized PET was proposed. An emitting red light of europium ternary complex with hydroxyl functional groups was prepared by precipitation method, and the PET with carboxyl groups was prepared by using UV grafting technology, then the rare earth complex could be grafted to the surface of PET materials by the reaction of acid and alcohol so that the functional design of bonded fluorescent materials was realized. The structure and morphology of the europium complex and functional PET materials were analyzed and the fluorescence performance of modified PET materials with different grafting contents were evaluated. It was found that the europium complex was successfully bonded onto the surface of PET material by using acrylic-acid reaction as medium. The functional PET emitted strong red fluorescence at 615 nm, and the fluorescence intensity reached a high value of 2.3×107 a.u. with the AA grafting rate of 9 %. Additionally, the fluorescent PET showed good temperature burst effect in the range of 40–80 °C and satisfactory response to pH solutions ranging from 2 to 12. This provides an attractive prospect for the design, preparation and application of fluorescent functional PET materials. [Display omitted] • The fluorescent functional design of PET was achieved via acid-alcohol reaction strategy. • Preparation of rare-earth Eu complexes with functional hydroxyl groups as reaction sites by precipitation method. • Fluorescent PET nonwovens exhibit a red color under UV excitation and show a specific response to pH sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]