Hydrothermal Synthesis of Luminescent Carbon Dots from Glucose and Birch Bark Soot

Abstract

Carbon dots were prepared by the method of hydrothermal synthesis from carbon precursors of glucose and birch bark soot in aqueous ammonia. The distribution of lateral sizes of carbon dots testifies their average size to be 10–12 nm for glucose and 20–22 nm for soot. Infrared absorption spectra indicate oxygen groups on the surfaces of obtained carbon dots. Aqueous suspensions with glucose-based carbon dots exhibit strong absorption in the visible region from 300 nm to 500 nm. Soot-based carbon dots demonstrate strong absorption in the ultraviolet region, but are transparent in the visible region. The luminescence spectra exhibit that carbon dots synthesized from glucose and soot are luminescent in the same spectral region, their wavelengths of radiation depend on the wavelengths of excitation, and the intensity of luminescence depends on the presence of oxygen groups on the surface of carbon dots. Carbon dots synthesized from glucose and soot have great prospects in terms of their application in biology and medicine.