Synthesis of homogeneous carbon quantum dots by ultrafast dual-beam pulsed laser ablation for bioimaging. (December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cui, L.; Ren, X.; Wang, J.; Sun, M.
• Is Part Of: Materials today nano. Volume 12(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-12
• Subjects: Carbon dots -- Laser chemistry -- Imaging agents -- PL emission mechanism -- Photochemistry; Nanoscience -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology; Nanoscience; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Periodicals; Periodical; Electronic journals; Electronic journals; 620.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mtnano.2020.100091
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2588-8420

Abstract

Abstract: Pursuit of an ultrafast and highly efficient method to fabricate homogeneous carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with high quantum yield is a persistent objective for photoluminescence (PL) mechanism and bioimaging. Here, the CQDs were fabricated through ablation of low-cost carbon cloth by ultrafast and highly efficient dual-beam pulsed laser ablation. Unlike previous reports, a single laser beam is divided into double beams by a beam splitter in this work for shortening laser ablation time and improving ablation yield. More importantly, the obtained CQDs are more homogeneous than those obtained by single-beam pulsed laser ablation, and the corresponding quantum yield of emission is as high as 35.4%. The homogeneous CQDs show a stable and excitation-independent PL emission, which is attributed to the electron transition from the π∗ state to the surface state rather than from the π∗ state to the π state based on our experimental evidence. Furthermore, the CQDs have a good stability and excellent antijamming performance, which are well suitable for cell bioimaging. Therefore, a 'dual-beam pulsed ablation' technique proposed as an ultrafast method is used to fabricate homogeneous CQDs with high quantum yield for the study of PL emission mechanism and cell bioimaging. Graphical abstract: Image 1