Waste plastic yields carbon quantum dots with emissions tunable from UV to yellow-green
Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are fluorescent carbon nanomaterials with potential applications in sensing, optoelectronics, displays, anticounterfeiting and environmental technologies. Their optical properties can be adjusted by modifying the carbon structure and surface chemistry, particularly through defect states and the incorporation of heteroatoms. However, achieving predictable and continuous…
This research demonstrates that waste polyamide can be converted into carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with tunable photoluminescence ranging from UV to yellow-green. By modifying the surface chemistry of CQDs derived from polyamide through dry pyrolysis and various synthesis routes, the emission wavelength can be systematically shifted.
The study achieved a 244 nm tuning range using the same polyamide precursor throughout. Controlled defect-state engineering allowed for precise regulation of optical emission, with emission wavelengths ranging from 308 nm to 552 nm and a quantum yield up to 62.74%. Two empirical descriptors, the defect-state depth index (Dindex) and the defect-state engineering index (DSEI), were introduced to quantify how emissive states evolved across the CQD series.
These findings suggest that waste-derived CQDs could be tailored for specific optical applications, providing a new way to utilize plastic waste while advancing nanomaterial design.
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