Abstract
Carbon quantum dots surface doped with nitrogen (N-CQDs) were synthesized with quantum yield (24.9–66.4%) via an easy hydrothermal route while using citric acid as a precursor for carbon and varying concentrations of DL-Alaninol as the dopant. The as-prepared N-CQDs with adjustable fluorescence emission transformed from weak excitation-dependent to excitation-dependent and then to excitation-independent. After a detailed characterization and investigation, the N-CQDs were found to have a uniform particle size (1.76–3.07 nm) and good monodispersion. They were bearing similar functional groups on their surfaces but with different contents. The N/C ratio of N-CQDs increased gradually with the increasing contents of dopant, while the O/C ratio gradually decreased. The photoluminescence (PL) of (N-CQDs) has been explained by a proposed PL mechanism that involved quantum size effect and the energy levels by the surface state. When further investigated as a fluorescent probe for Fe3+ ion detection, the synthesized N-CQDs were found to be selectively and sensitively detecting Fe3+ ions. The N-CQD-based fluorescent probe was capable of detecting in a wider linear detection range and lower limits of detection (LODs).
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Acknowledgements
This work is supported by the Program for Excellent Talents in Guangxi Higher Education Institutions.
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The authors received funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China through grant number 51863017.
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Caimei Liang: Methodology, investigation, worked on the manuscript
Xiaoxi Hu: Conceptualization, performed the analysis, writing-review and editing
Yun Wang: Resources, supervision, writing-review and editing
Yanjun Zhang: Supervision, performed the analysis
Guo Fu: Methodology, performed the analysis, supervision
Chunxing Li: Investigation, software
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Liang, C., Hu, X., Wang, Y. et al. Study on luminescence mechanism of nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots with different fluorescence properties and application in Fe3+ detection. J Nanopart Res 23, 101 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-021-05208-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-021-05208-2