We investigate a new gadolinium-loaded organic liquid scintillator which is designed to detect electron antineutrinos. A model has been developed to account for the various energy transfer paths possible in a liquid scintillator with multiple solvents, one fluor and a quenching component. Experimental light yield measurements were carried out to determine the relative rates for the energy transfers included in the model. Model predictions were used to tune the luminescent properties of the Gd-loaded target scintillator and the unloaded Gamma Catcher scintillator for the reactor neutrino experiment Double Chooz. (C) 2011 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.