Hydrothermal synthesis of chiral carbon dots
- Biointerfaces Institute University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
- Center for Materials Research Norfolk State University Norfolk Virginia USA
Nanocolloids that are cumulatively referred to as nanocarbons, attracted significant attention during the last decade because of facile synthesis methods, water solubility, tunable photoluminescence, easy surface modification, and high biocompatibility. Among the latest development in this reserach area are chiral nanocarbons exemplified by chiral carbon dots (CDots). They are expected to have applications in sensing, catalysis, imaging, and nanomedicine. However, the current methods of CDots synthesis show often contradictory chemical/optical properties and structural information that required a systematic study with careful structural evaluation. Here, we investigate and optimize chiroptical activity and photoluminescence of L‐ and D‐ CDots obtained by hydrothermal carbonization of L‐ and D‐ cysteine, respectively. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy demonstrates that they are formed via gradual dehydrogenation and condensation reactions of the starting amino acid leading to particles with a wide spectrum of functional groups including aromatic cycles. We found that the chiroptical activity of CDots has an inverse correlation with the synthesis duration and temperature, whereas the photoluminescence intensity has a direct one, which is associated with degree of carbonization. Also, our studies show that the hydrothermal synthesis of cysteine in the presence of boric acid leads to the formation of CDots rather than boron nitride nanoparticles as was previously proposed in several reports. These results can be used to design chiral carbon‐based nanoparticles with optimal chemical, chiroptical, and photoluminescent properties.
- Research Organization:
- Norfolk State Univ., Norfolk, VA (United States); Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- National Science Foundation (NSF); US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR); US Department of the Navy, Office of Naval Research (ONR); USDOD; USDOE; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- NA0003525; NA0004007
- OSTI ID:
- 1894955
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 2417989
OSTI ID: 1898437
- Journal Information:
- Chirality, Journal Name: Chirality Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 34; ISSN 0899-0042
- Publisher:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English