Issue 19, 2016

A large-scale synthesis of photoluminescent carbon quantum dots: a self-exothermic reaction driving the formation of the nanocrystalline core at room temperature

Abstract

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs), a rising star family in photoluminescent (PL) nanomaterials, have been identified to have a core–shell structure with the nanocrystalline core of sp2-hybridized carbon clusters and the functional group formed shell of sp3-hybridized carbons, in which the core formation usually needs high-temperature carbonization. Herein, we develop a route to prepare CQDs on a large scale by using hydroquinone and ethylenediamine (EDA) as the precursors and the EDA-catalyzed decomposition of hydrogen peroxide at room temperature. The released heat from this highly exothermic reaction system can rapidly prompt the formation of the nanocrystalline core. The as-prepared CQDs in situ show green PL properties around 525 nm under excitation at 320 to 420 nm with the absolute quantum yield of 24.6%, and can find applications in visual analysis and other fields.

Graphical abstract: A large-scale synthesis of photoluminescent carbon quantum dots: a self-exothermic reaction driving the formation of the nanocrystalline core at room temperature

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
03 Jul 2016
Accepted
24 Aug 2016
First published
25 Aug 2016

Green Chem., 2016,18, 5127-5132

A large-scale synthesis of photoluminescent carbon quantum dots: a self-exothermic reaction driving the formation of the nanocrystalline core at room temperature

B. B. Chen, Z. X. Liu, W. C. Deng, L. Zhan, M. L. Liu and C. Z. Huang, Green Chem., 2016, 18, 5127 DOI: 10.1039/C6GC01820C

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