Solvothermal Synthesis of Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots by Using Vanillin as Carbon Source

Abstract

As a new zero-optic luminescent material, carbon quantum points are widely focused and sustained, and many researchers are trying to use simple and fast methods and stable, good carbon sources to be prepared with a good fluorescent properties of carbon quantum dots. In this paper, carbon quantum dots were synthesized by solvothermal method with vanillin as carbon source, and the effects of solvothermal temperature and time on the luminescence properties of carbon quantum dots were explored. Then, carbon quantum dots were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy analysis, infrared spectrum analysis, fluorescence spectrum analysis. Research results showed that ethanol solvent with vanillin as a carbon source by solvothermal method could synthesize good water soluble carbon quantum dots with weak crystallization, and its size was about 10 nm. This carbon quantum dots had obvious excitation wavelength dependence and produce blue light, which had potential application value in ion fluorescence probe or cell labeling.

Keywords:

• Carbon quantum dots
• vanillin
• solvothermal synthesis
• fluorescence properties

Additional information

Funding

This work was jointly supported by the Science and Technology Department Project of Sichuan Province (2019ZDZX0025) and Sichuan University Panzhihua school city strategic cooperation special fund project (2019CDPZH-6).