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New methods of synthesis and varied properties of carbon quantum dots with high nitrogen content

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Abstract

Doping of a heteroatom such as nitrogen in carbon nanomaterials provides a means to tailor their electronic properties and chemical reactivities. In this article, we present simple methods to synthesize carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with high nitrogen doping content (18–22%), involving the reaction of glucose in the presence of urea under hydrothermal conditions or by microwave irradiation. The N-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) show high aqueous solubility and tunable photoluminescence (PL). Interaction of N-CQDs with exfoliated graphene or dimethylaniline quenches PL. Interaction of N-doped as well as undoped C-dots with electron-donating tetrathiafulvalene and electron-withdrawing tetracyanoethylene has been examined. The intense blue PL of CQDs has been exploited to produce white light by mixing the CQDs with yellow light emitting ZnO nanoparticles or graphene oxide. The N-doped CQDs exhibit superior photocatalytic activity compared to pristine CQDs.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

S. Dey thanks CSIR for a fellowship. K. Biswas greatly appreciates the support of the DST Ramanujan fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit, New Chemistry Unit, Sheikh Saqr Laboratory International Center for Materials Science (ICMS), Bangalore, 560 064, India

    Sunita Dey, Pallellappa Chithaiah, Sunita Belawadi, Kanishka Biswas & C. N. R. Rao

  2. CSIR Center of Excellence in Chemistry, Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur, Bangalore, 560 064, India

    Sunita Dey, Pallellappa Chithaiah, Sunita Belawadi, Kanishka Biswas & C. N. R. Rao

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  1. Sunita Dey
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  2. Pallellappa Chithaiah
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Correspondence to C. N. R. Rao.

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Dey, S., Chithaiah, P., Belawadi, S. et al. New methods of synthesis and varied properties of carbon quantum dots with high nitrogen content. Journal of Materials Research 29, 383–391 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2013.295

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