Blue photoluminescent carbon nanodots from limeade.
Carbon-based photoluminescent nanodot has currently been one of the promising materials for various applications. The remaining challenges are the carbon sources and the simple synthetic processes that enhance the quantum yield, photostability and biocompatibility of the nanodots. In this work, the synthesis of blue photoluminescent carbon nanodots from limeade via a single-step hydrothermal carbonization process is presented. Lime carbon nanodot (L-CnD), whose the quantum yield exceeding 50% for the 490nm emission in gram-scale amounts, has the structure of graphene core functionalized with the oxygen functional groups. The micron-sized flake of the as-prepared L-CnD powder exhibits multicolor emission depending on an excitation wavelength. The L-CnDs are demonstrated for rapidly ferric-ion (Fe(3+)) detection in water compared to Fe(2+), Cu(2+), Co(2+), Zn(2+), Mn(2+) and Ni(2+) ions. The photoluminescence quenching of L-CnD solution under UV light is used to distinguish the Fe(3+) ions from others by naked eyes as low concentration as 100μM. Additionally, L-CnDs provide exceptional photostability and biocompatibility for imaging yeast cell morphology. Changes in morphology of living yeast cells, i.e. cell shape variation, and budding, can be observed in a minute-period until more than an hour without the photoluminescent intensity loss.
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; ThEP Center, Commission of Higher Education, 328 Si Ayuthaya Rd, Thailand.
Phitsini
P
Suvarnaphaet
Department of Materials Science and Nano Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 7005, United States.
Chandra Sekhar
CS
Tiwary
NECTEC, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Thailand Science Park, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand.
Jutaphet
J
Wetcharungsri
NECTEC, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Thailand Science Park, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand.
Supanit
S
Porntheeraphat
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; ThEP Center, Commission of Higher Education, 328 Si Ayuthaya Rd, Thailand.
Rassmidara
R
Hoonsawat
Department of Materials Science and Nano Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 7005, United States.
Pulickel Madhavapanicker
PM
Ajayan
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; Department of Material Science, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; ThEP Center, Commission of Higher Education, 328 Si Ayuthaya Rd, Thailand.
I-Ming
IM
Tang
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand; ThEP Center, Commission of Higher Education, 328 Si Ayuthaya Rd, Thailand. Electronic address: asanithi@hotmail.com.
Piyapong
P
Asanithi
D001628:Beverages; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D048430:Cell Shape; D002957:Citrus / Q000737:chemistry*; D007477:Ions; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D055620:Optical Phenomena; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000166:cytology; D012996:Solutions; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman
D007477:Ions; D012996:Solutions; D002244:Carbon; D007501:Iron
Blue photoluminescence; Carbon nanodots; Cell imaging; Ferric-ion detection; Hydrothermal carbonization