Fluorescent Mechanism in Zero-Dimensional Carbon Nanomaterials: A Review

Overview

Journal J Fluoresc

Specialties Biophysics
Chemistry

Date 2022 Mar 18

PMID 35303239

Authors

Joselyn Elizabeth Abraham

Manoj Balachandran

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) have acquired growing interest from different areas over decades. Their fascinating property of tunable fluorescence by changing the excitation wavelength has attracted researchers worldwide. Understanding the mechanisms behind fluorescence is of great importance, as they help with the synthesis and applications, significantly when narrowed down to applications with color-tunable mechanisms. But, due to a lack of practical and theoretical information, the fluorescence mechanisms of CDs remain unknown, preventing the production of CDs with desired optical qualities. This review focuses on the PL mechanisms of carbon dots. The quantum confinement effect determined the carbon core, the surface and edge states determined by various surface defects and the connected functional/chemical groups on the surface/edges, the molecular state solely determined the fluorophores in the interior or surface of the CDs, and the Crosslink Enhanced Emission Effect are the currently confirmed PL mechanisms.

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