Abstract
Carbon dots (CDs) are class of carbon based nanomaterials with excellent optical properties. However, in solid state the fluorescence of CDs is not observed due to aggregation-caused quenching effect. Herein, we present a facile thermal method for preparing solid state yellow emissive nitrogen doped carbon dots (N-CDs) using organic solvents, ethanolamine and acrylonitrile as the precursors without further surface passivation. In addition, N-CDs aqueous dispersion exhibits tunable blue to green emission, while acetone dispersion show yellow emission. Moreover, the aqueous dispersion of N-CDs is employed for detecting picric acid selectively by fluorescence quenching mode based on inner filter effect. A good linearity is observed in the range from 0 to 45 μM, with a detection limit of 1.17 μM. The method is successfully applied for determination of picric acid in environmental samples.
Graphic Abstract
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Code availability
Chemdraw, Microsoft word, Origin 7 Software.
References
Ashbrook PC, Houts TA (2003) Picric acid. ACS Div. Chem. Health Safety, 2003, 10:27
Ba XX, Zhang L, Yin YL, Jiang FL, Liu Y (2020) Luminescent carbon dots with concentration-dependent emission in solution and yellow emission in solid state. J Colloid Interface Sci 565:77–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2020.01.007
Bhunia SK, Saha A, Maity AR, Ray SC, Jana NR (2013) Carbon nanoparticle-based fluorescent bioimaging probes. Sci Rep 3:1473. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep01473
Bhunia SK, Nandi S, Shikler R, Jelinek R (2016) Tunable light-emitting carbon-dot/ polymer flexible films prepared through one-pot synthesis. Nanoscale 8:3400–3406. https://doi.org/10.1039/C5NR08400H
Bourlinos AB, Stassinopoulos A, Anglos D, Zboril R, Georgakilas V, Giannelis EP (2008) Photoluminescent carbogenic dots. Chem Mater 20:4539–4541. https://doi.org/10.1021/cm800506r
Cameron M (1995) Picric acid hazards. American Industrial Hygiene Association, Fairfax, VA
Chen Y, Zheng M, Xiao Y, Dong H, Zhang H, Zhuang J (2016) A self-quenching resistant carbon-dot powder with tunable solid-state fluorescence and construction of dual-fluorescence morphologies for white light-emission. Adv Mater 28:312–318. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201503380
Fan YZ, Zhang Y, Li N, Liu SG, Liu T, Li NB, Luo HQ (2017) A facile synthesis of water-soluble carbon dots as a label-free fluorescent probe for rapid, selective and sensitive detection of picric acid. Sens Actuator B Chem 240:949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2016.09.063
Germain ME, Knapp MJ (2009) Optical explosives detection: from color changes to fluorescence turn-on. Chem Soc Rev 38:2543–2555. https://doi.org/10.1039/B809631G
He G, Peng H, Liu T, Yang M, Zhang Y, Fang Y (2009) A novel picric acid film sensor via combination of the surface enrichment effect of chitosan films and the aggregation-induced emission effect of siloles. J Mater Chem 19:7347–7353. https://doi.org/10.1039/B906946A
Jiang K, Wang Y, Cai C, Lin H (2018) Conversion of carbon dots from fluorescence to ultralong room-temperature phosphorescence by heating for security applications. Adv Mater 30:1800783. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201800783
Lakowicz JR (1999) Principle of Fluorescence Spectroscopy, 3rd edn. Springer, Boston, p 369
Li X, Rui M, Song J, Shen Z, Zeng H (2015a) Carbon and graphene quantum dots for optoelectronic and energy devices: a review. Adv Funct Mater 25:4929–4947. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201501250
Li Z, Wang Y, Nia Y, Kokot S (2015b) A rapid and label-free dual detection of Hg (II) and cysteine with the use of fluorescence switching of graphene quantum dots. Sens Actuators B Chem 207:490–497. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2014.10.07
Lim SY, Shen W, Gao Z (2015) Carbon quantum dots and their applications. Chem Soc Rev 44:362–381. https://doi.org/10.1039/C4CS00269E
Liu J, Liu Y, Liu N, Han Y, Zhang X, Huang H, Lifshitz Y, Lee ST, Zhong J, Kang Z (2015) Metal-free efficient photocatalyst for stable visible water splitting via a two-electron pathway. Science 347:970–974. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa3145
Ma Y, Li H, Peng S, Wang L (2012) Highly selective and sensitive fluorescent paper sensor for nitroaromatic explosive detection. Anal Chem 84:8415–8421. https://doi.org/10.1021/ac302138c
Ma L, Xiang W, Gao H, Pei L, Ma X, Huang Y, Liang X (2015) Carbon dot-doped sodium borosilicate gel glasses with emission tunability and their application in white light emitting diodes. J Mater Chem C 3:6764–6770. https://doi.org/10.1039/C5TC00918A
Mintz KJ, Zhou Y, Leblanc RM (2019) Recent development of carbon quantum dots regarding their optical properties, photoluminescence mechanism, and core structure. Nanoscale 1:4634–4652. https://doi.org/10.1039/C8NR10059D
Niu Q, Gao K, Lin Z, Wu W (2013) Amine-capped carbon dots as nanosensor for sensitive and selective detection of picric acid in aqueous solution via electrostatic interaction. Anal Methods 5:6228–6233. https://doi.org/10.1039/C3AY41275J
Patir K, Gogoi SK (2019) Nitrogen-doped carbon dots on fluorescence ON-OFF-ON sensor for parallel detection of copper (II) and mercury (II) ions in solutions as well as filter paper-based microfluidic device. Nanoscale Adv 1:592–601. https://doi.org/10.1039/C8NA00080H
Purbia R, Paria S (2016) A simple turn on fluorescent sensor for the selective detection of thiamine using coconut water derived luminescent carbon dots. Biosens Bioelectron 79:467–475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2015.12.087
Qu D, Sun Z (2020) The formation mechanism and fluorophores of carbon dots synthesized via a bottom-up route. Mater Chem Front 4:400–420. https://doi.org/10.1039/c9qm00552h
Qu S, Wang X, Lu Q, Liu X, Wang L (2012) A biocompatible fluorescent ink based on water-soluble luminescent carbon quantum dots. Angew Chem Int Ed 124:12381–12384. https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.201206791
Wyman JF, Serve MP, Hobson DW, Lee LH, Uddin J (1992) Safety data sheet for picric acid, resource of National Institute of Health. Toxicol Environ Health Part A 37:313
Salinas Y, Martinez-Manez R, Marcos MD, Sancenon F, Castero AM, Parra M, Gil S (2012) Optical chemosensors and reagents to detect explosives. Chem Soc Rev 41:1261–1296. https://doi.org/10.1039/C1CS15173H
Sharma A, Gadly T, Neogy S, Ghosh SK, Kumbhakar M (2017) Molecular origin and self-assembly of fluorescent carbon quantum dots in polar solvents. J Phys Chem Lett 8:1044–1052. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.7b00170
Sohn H, Sailor MJ, Magde D, Trogler WC (2003) Detection of nitroaromatic explosives based on photoluminescent polymers containing metalloles. J Am Chem Soc 125:3821–3830. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja021214e
Sun YP, Zhou B, Lin Y, Wang W, Fernando KAS, Pathak P, Meziani MJ, Harruff BA, Wang X, Wang H, Luo PG, Yang H, Kose ME, Chen B, Veca LM, Xie SY (2006) Quantum-sized carbon dots for bright and colorful photoluminescence. J Am Chem Soc 128:7756–7757. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja062677d
Sun M, Qu S, Hao Z, Ji W, Jing P, Zhang H, Zhang L, Zhao J, Shen D (2014) Towards efficient solid-state photoluminescence based on carbon-nanodots and starch composites. Nanoscale 6:13076–13081. https://doi.org/10.1039/C4NR04034A
Sun X, Wang Y, Lei Y (2015) Fluorescence based explosive detection: from mechanisms to sensory materials. Chem Soc Rev 44:8019–8061. https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CS00496A
Talite MJ, Huang HY, Wu YH, Sena PG, Cai KB, Lin TN, Shen JL, Chou WC, Yuan CT (2018) Greener luminescent solar concentrators with high loading contents based on in situ cross-linked Carbon quantum dots for enhancing solar energy harvesting and resisting concentration induced quenching. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 10:34184–34192. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.8b10618
Tian Z, Zhang XT, Li D, Zhou D, Jing PT, Shen DZ, Qu SN, Zboril R, Rogach AL (2017) Full-color inorganic carbon dot phosphors for white-light-emitting diodes. Adv Opt Mater 5:1700416. https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.201700416
Wan Y, Wang M, Zhang K, Fu Q, Gao M, Wang L, Xia Z, Gao D (2019) Facile and green synthesis of fluorescent carbon dots from the flowers of Abelmoschus manihot (Linn.) Medicus for sensitive detection of 2, 4, 6-trinitrophenol and cellular imaging. Microchemical J 148:385–396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2019.05.026
Wang B, Mu Y, Zhang C, Li J (2017) Blue photoluminescent carbon dots prepared from zeolite as efficient sensors for picric acid detection. Sens Actuators B Chem 253:911–917. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2017.07.046
Wang Y, Chang X, Jing N, Zhang Y (2018) Hydrothermal synthesis of carbon quantum dots as fluorescent probes for the sensitive and rapid detection of picric acid. Anal Methods 10:2775–2784. https://doi.org/10.1039/C8AY00441B
Wang X, Liu Y, Zhou Q, Sheng X, Zhou B, Zhao J, Guo J (2020) A reliable and facile fluorescent sensor from carbon dots for sensing 2, 4, 6-trinitrophenol based on inner filter effect. Sci Total Environ 720:137680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137680
Wollin KM, Dieter HH (2005) Toxicological Guidelines for Monocyclic Nitro, Amino and Aminonitroaromatics, Nitramines, and Nitrate Esters in Drinking Water. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 49:18–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-004-0112-2
Yoo HJ, Kwak BE, Kim DH (2019) The self-quenching origin of carbon dots and the guideline for its solid-state Luminescence. J Phys Chem C 123:27124–27131. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b06154
Zhai Y, Zhou D, Jing P, Li D, Zeng H, Qu S (2017) Preparation and application of Carbon-Nanodot@NaCl composite phosphors with strong green emission. J Colloid Interface Sci 497:165–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2017.03.007
Zhang Y, Zhuo P, Yin H, Fan Y, Hang J, Liu X, Chen Z (2019) Solid-state fluorescent carbon dots with aggregation-induced yellow emission for white light-emitting diodes with high luminous efficiencies. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 11:24395–24403. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.9b04600
Zheng M, Xie Z, Qu D, Li D, Du P, Jing X, Sun Z (2013) On-Off-on fluorescent carbon dot nanosensor for recognition of chromium (VI) and ascorbic acid based on the inner filter effect. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 5:1342–13247. https://doi.org/10.1021/am4042355
Zheng XT, Ananthanarayanan A, Luo KQ, Chen P (2015) Glowing graphene quantum dots and carbon dots: properties, syntheses, and biological applications. Small 11:1620–1636. https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.201402648
Zhou D, Li D, Jing P, Zhai Y, Shen D, Qu S, Rogach AL (2017a) Conquering aggregation-induced solid-state luminescence quenching of carbon dots through a carbon dots-triggered silica gelation process. Chem Mater 29:1779–1787. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.6b05375
Zhou D, Zhai Y, Qu S, Li D, Jing P, Ji W, Shen D, Rogach AL (2017b) Electrostatic assembly guided synthesis of highly luminescent Carbon-Nanodots@BaSO4 hybrid phosphors with improved stability. Small 13:1602055. https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.201602055
Zhu S, Meng Q, Wang L, Zhang J, Song Y, Jin H, Zhang K, Sun H, Wang H, Yang B (2013) Highly photoluminescent carbon dots for multicolor patterning, sensors, and bioimaging. Angew Chem Int Ed 125:4045–4049. https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.201300519
Acknowledgements
K. P and B. B thank the Department of Chemistry, Gauhati University-Guwahti, SAIF-Gauhati University-Guwahati, SAIF-NEHU and CIF, IIT-Guwahati for helping in sample analyses.
Funding
Department of Chemistry, Bodoland University for Master of Science Project.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Idea of the work has been suggested by Dr. Khemnath Patir. Synthetic process, characterization works, analysis, experiments and writing of the manuscript are performed by Dr. Khemnath Patir. Synthetic processes are carried out by Bikram Barman. Dr. Sanjay Basumatary has checked the manuscript writing.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
We confirm this work to be original and has not been published elsewhere, nor is it currently under consideration for publication elsewhere.
Conflict of interest
We have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Availability of data and material
Raw data are available for all the experiments.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Patir, K., Barman, B. & Basumatary, S. One Pot Synthesis of Multicolor Emissive Nitrogen Doped Carbon Dots and its Application as Acetone and Picric Acid Sensor. Iran J Sci Technol Trans Sci 45, 1301–1310 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40995-021-01131-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40995-021-01131-2