Issue 33, 2017

Supramolecular interactions via hydrogen bonding contributing to citric-acid derived carbon dots with high quantum yield and sensitive photoluminescence

Abstract

Herein, we report the characterization of highly fluorescent citric-acid derived carbon dots (CACDs) synthesized by hydrothermal treatment of citric acid and diethylenetriamine below 200 °C. After being purified using a gel permeation chromatography cleanup system, the complexity and chemical composition of the CACDs were evaluated by liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. The fluorophores consisted of five-membered ring fused 2-pyridones identified as the photoluminescence origin. M06-2X density functional calculations, surface tension and morphological studies suggested DETA@5CA serves as the main building block to fabricate supramolecular aggregates. Then we proposed that the dimeric and trimeric fluorophores coupled with DETA@5CA led to “dot” topologies in the CACDs solution under the effect of hydrogen bonding. In aqueous solution, the CACDs exhibited narrowly dispersed optical properties and a high fluorescent quantum yield (∼98%). Moreover, the supramolecular interaction induced CACDs have high sensitivity under various ambient conditions, such as pH, organic solvents and metal ions.

Graphical abstract: Supramolecular interactions via hydrogen bonding contributing to citric-acid derived carbon dots with high quantum yield and sensitive photoluminescence

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 Feb 2017
Accepted
30 Mar 2017
First published
07 Apr 2017
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

RSC Adv., 2017,7, 20345-20353

Supramolecular interactions via hydrogen bonding contributing to citric-acid derived carbon dots with high quantum yield and sensitive photoluminescence

W. Zhang, L. Shi, Y. Liu, X. Meng, H. Xu, Y. Xu, B. Liu, X. Fang, H. Li and T. Ding, RSC Adv., 2017, 7, 20345 DOI: 10.1039/C7RA02160G

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