title: A green route towards highly photoluminescent and cytocompatible carbon dot synthesis and its separation using sucrose density gradient centrifugation.
abstract: An efficient, fast and green method for synthesis of Carbon dots (C-dots) using natural precursor Citrus limone under ultrasonic condition is demonstrated. Such as-synthesized C-dots were further purified using Sucrose density gradient centrifugation method (SDGC) which resulted in the separation of water-soluble, photo luminescent, monodispersed, highly photostable and chemically stable C-dot fractions (F1 and F2). They possess very small size (5-20 nm) as evidenced by High angle annular dark field-Scanning Transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and very strong luminescence as shown by fluorescence spectroscopic studies. Cytocompatibility and bio imaging properties of both the fractions (F1 and F2) were then studied on Hep-2 cells. Quantum yield of F1 and F2 fraction was found to be 12.1 and 15 %, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering (SEES), CINVESTAV-IPN, Av Instituto Politecnico Nacional 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco, Gustavo A. Madero, 07360, Mexico City, DF, Mexico, goldieoza@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Goldie
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oza
authors.forename: Kusum
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oza
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pandey
authors.forename: Sachin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shinde
authors.forename: Ashmi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mewada
authors.forename: Mukeshchand
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thakur
authors.forename: Maheshwar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharon
authors.forename: Madhuri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharon