title: Fluorescent carbon dots capped with PEG200 and mercaptosuccinic acid.
abstract: The synthesis and functionalization of carbon nanoparticles with PEG(200) and mercaptosuccinic acid, rendering fluorescent carbon dots, is described. Fluorescent carbon dots (maximum excitation and emission at 320 and 430 nm, respectively) with average dimension 267 nm were obtained. The lifetime decay of the functionalized carbon dots is complex and a three component decay time model originated a good fit with the following lifetimes: τ(1) = 2.71 ns; τ(2) = 7.36 ns; τ(3) = 0.38 ns. The fluorescence intensity of the carbon dots is affected by the solvent, pH (apparent pK(a) of 7.4 ± 0.2) and iodide (Stern-Volmer constant of 78 ± 2 M(-1)).
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação em Química, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Joaquim C G
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Esteves da Silva