Fluorescent carbon nanoparticles exhibit merits in terms of photochemical stability, functional modification flexibility and excellent biocompatibility. Currently, fluorescent carbon nanoparticles are often obtained by bottom-up or up-bottom strategies. So far, there has been no literature concerning spontaneous formation of fluorescent carbon nanoparticles. However, we have successfully found that fluorescent carbon nanoparticles can form spontaneously in the glutaraldehyde solution. Then further investigations were conducted on the storage time, pH and temperature, which could affect the fluorescence intensity of glutaraldehyde solution. The results indicate that the value of the fluorescence intensity will increase with the extension of the storage time. Moreover, the fluorescence mechanism of the glutaraldehyde solution was studied according to its properties and experiment results. Transmission electron microscopy was used to demonstrate nanoparticles in the glutaraldehyde solution. It’s assumed that such phenomenon is probably attributed to the conjugated structure resulting from the polymerization of glutaraldehyde and the quantum confinement effect owing to the nanoparticles formed by the aggregation of polymers. Therefore, the spontaneous fluorescence produced by glutaraldehyde solution provides a simple and environmentally-friendly way to prepare fluorescent carbon nanoparticles.

荧光碳纳米颗粒在光化学稳定性，功能修饰灵活性和出色的生物相容性方面均具有优势。当前，荧光碳纳米颗粒通常通过自下而上或自上而下的策略获得。迄今为止，还没有关于荧光碳纳米粒子自发形成的文献。然而，我们已经成功地发现荧光碳纳米颗粒可以在戊二醛溶液中自发形成。然后进一步研究了可能影响戊二醛溶液荧光强度的贮存时间，pH和温度。结果表明，荧光强度的值将随着保存时间的延长而增加。此外，根据戊二醛溶液的性质和实验结果，研究了戊二醛溶液的荧光机理。透射电子显微镜用于证明戊二醛溶液中的纳米颗粒。据推测，这种现象可能归因于戊二醛聚合产生的共轭结构，以及由于聚合物聚集形成的纳米颗粒而引起的量子限制效应。因此，戊二醛溶液产生的自发荧光提供了一种简单且环保的方式来制备荧光碳纳米粒子。据推测，这种现象可能归因于戊二醛聚合产生的共轭结构，以及由于聚合物聚集形成的纳米颗粒而引起的量子限制效应。因此，戊二醛溶液产生的自发荧光提供了一种简单且环保的方式来制备荧光碳纳米粒子。据推测，这种现象可能归因于戊二醛聚合产生的共轭结构，以及由于聚合物聚集形成的纳米颗粒而引起的量子限制效应。因此，戊二醛溶液产生的自发荧光提供了一种简单且环保的方式来制备荧光碳纳米粒子。