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Green Synthesis of Highly Fluorescent NCQDs: A Comprehensive Study on Synthesis, Characterization, Photophysical Properties, pH Sensing, Heavy Metal Detection, and Solvatochromic Behavior through Hydrothermal Method

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Abstract

Solvatochromic studies in conjunction with NCQDs and analysis of material at different pH levels provide valuable insights about the process of metal ion sensing. Metal ion sensing holds significant importance in various fields like environment monitoring, biomedical diagnostics and various industrial purpose. The detection of metal ions by mixing the nitrogen-doped quantum dots (NCQDs) in the solvent at different pH levels for the analysis of the photoluminescence spectra is the unique property to achieve selective metal ion detection. In present study, the synthesis of NCQDs was performed by the use of flowers of Tecoma stans. The synthesis of NCQDs to best of our knowledge using flowers of Tecoma stans as natural carbon source via hydrothermal process has been done for the first time. The NCQDs exhibit absorption bands ranging from 190 to 450 nm, with the energy band gap varying from 3.55 to 5.42 eV when mixed with different solvent such as, 1–4 dioxane, acetone, acetonitrile, ethyl- acetate, ethanol, methanol and toluene. The fluorescence spectra exhibited highly intense range from approximately 390 to 680 nm across various solvents. XRD analysis further confirmed the crystalline nature of the particles with an average size of 6.96 nm. Different peak positions of the FTIR spectra support functional groups having C-H stretching, C = O (carbonyl) stretching, and C = C stretching vibrations. In the study a notable solvatochromic shift was observed, indicating sensitivity to change in solvent polarity. Additionally, the investigation of the ratio of ground to excited state dipole moment based on solvatochromic shift yielded a value of 3.30. This provide valuable information about optical and electronic properties of NCQDs. Overall, our study sheds light on the unique properties of NCQDs synthesized from Tecoma stans flowers and their potential applications in metal ion sensing, pH probing, and solvent polarity studies.

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Acknowledgements

Dr. B.S. Rawat, one of the contributors, expresses gratitude to the Division of research & Innovation, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun for facilitating the research facilities.

Funding

The present work was carried out with the support of seed money (Ref: UU/DRI/SM/2023-24/008) provided by Uttaranchal University, Dehradun.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, GRD Institute of Management & Technology, Dehradun, 248007, UK, India

    Poonam Negi

  2. Department of Physics, School of Applied and Life Sciences (SALS), Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, 248007, UK, India

    Bhupendra Singh Rawat & Narinder Kumar

  3. Division of Research and Innovation, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, 248007, UK, India

    Naveen Chandra Joshi

  4. Department of Physics, UPES, Dehradun, 248007, UK, India

    Kanak Pal Singh Parmar

  5. Department of Allied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, UPES, Dehradun, 248007, UK, India

    Shuchi Upadhyay

  6. Department of Physics, VSKC Govt. P.G. College, Dhakpathar, 248007, UK, India

    Vinod Singh

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  1. Poonam Negi
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Contributions

Dr. Poonam Negi supervised the article and conducted the characterization part, Dr. Bhupendra Singh Rawat conceptualized and performed the analysis of the dipole moment, Dr. Naveen Chandra Joshi was responsible for the experimental work on heavy metal detection and Dr. Narinder Kumar was for the interpretation of the same, Dr. Kanak Pal Singh Parmar and Dr. Shuchi Upadhyay focused on the experiments and analysis of the fluorescence part, Dr. Vinod Singh curated the data.

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Correspondence to Bhupendra Singh Rawat.

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Negi, P., Rawat, B.S., Joshi, N.C. et al. Green Synthesis of Highly Fluorescent NCQDs: A Comprehensive Study on Synthesis, Characterization, Photophysical Properties, pH Sensing, Heavy Metal Detection, and Solvatochromic Behavior through Hydrothermal Method. J Fluoresc (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-024-03710-z

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