Engineering highly graphitic carbon quantum dots by catalytic dehydrogenation and carbonization of Ti3C2Tx-MXene wrapped polystyrene spheres. (30th April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Hao-Ran; Meng, Wei-Ming; Wang, Ri-Yuan; Chen, Fang-Lin; Li, Tao; Wang, Ding-Ding; Wang, Feng; Zhu, San-E; Wei, Chun-Xiang; Lu, Hong-Dian; Yang, Wei
• Is Part Of: Carbon. Volume 190(2022)
• Page Start: 319
• Page End: 328
• Publication Date: 2022-04-30
• Subjects: MXene -- Polystyrene spheres -- Catalytic dehydrogenation -- Carbonization -- Carbon quantum dots; Carbon -- Periodicals; Carbone -- Périodiques; Koolstof; Toepassingen; Electronic journals; 546.681
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2022.01.028
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0008-6223

Abstract

Abstract: The catalytic dehydrogenation of Ti3 C2 Tx -MXene nanosheets induced by their surface terminating C-Ti-O group has attracted tremendous interests in the fabrication of unsaturated organics and carbon materials. Herein, the highly graphitic carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were synthesized by pyrolyzing cationic polystyrene (CPS) spheres which were wrapped by Ti3 C2 Tx -MXene nanosheets. The morphological features and fluorescent properties of the as-prepared CQDs were characterized and the growth mechanism of CQDs was proposed. In this unique hybrid model, Ti3 C2 Tx -MXene exhibited high efficiency in catalyzing dehydrogenation and carbonization of CPS to highly graphitic CQDs at a relatively low pyrolysis temperature of 410 °C. During the pyrolysis, Ti3 C2 Tx -MXene shell acted as a closed barrier to retain the volatilization of degradation products of CPS and promote their diffusion into the MXene interlayers. Simultaneously, lots of CPS degradation products were adhered to the surface of Ti3 C2 Tx -MXene nanosheets, where the dehydrogenation was carried out by the C-Ti-O catalytic active sites. Eventually, they were carbonized to highly graphitic CQDs with excellent photoluminescence behavior. This work provides a facile strategy to convert polystyrene matrix into graphitic carbon-based material, which helps to develop the catalytic carbonization mechanism of MXene/polymer nanocomposites. Graphical abstract: Image 1