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Preparation of multicolored carbon quantum dots using HNO3/HClO4 oxidation of graphitized carbon

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 September 2019

Chao Tan ,
Songlin Zuo ,
Yunyang Zhao Open the ORCID record for Yunyang Zhao [Opens in a new window]  and
Baoshou Shen
Chao Tan
Affiliation:
College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-forest Biomass, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Songlin Zuo*
Affiliation:
College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-forest Biomass, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Yunyang Zhao
Affiliation:
Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, Joint Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
Baoshou Shen
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The microstructure of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) has a great influence on their fluorescence properties. Here, different microstructures of CQDs were synthesized by the selective oxidation of graphitized activated carbon using HNO3/HClO4 as the oxidant. We characterized the microstructure and surface chemistry of the CQDs, and the results show that the degree of graphitization of activated carbon has a significant effect on the structure and fluorescence properties of the obtained CQDs. The fluorescence of the CQD solution can be tuned from yellow to green by regulating the degree of graphitization of the activated carbon by heat treatment at high temperature (up to 2500 °C). Moreover, the increased degree of graphitization of the raw carbon precursor is beneficial for significantly reducing the fluorescence self-absorption quenching of the concentrated CQD solution. Importantly, the as-prepared CQDs have no cytotoxicity and can be used as bioimaging agents.

Keywords

graphitized carbonselective oxidationcarbon quantum dots
Type
Article
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 34 , Issue 20 , 28 October 2019 , pp. 3428 - 3438
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2019 

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