Large-scale solvothermal synthesis of fluorescent carbon nanoparticles

The large-scale production of high-quality carbon nanomaterials is highly desirable for a variety of applications. We demonstrate a novel synthetic route to the production of fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) in large quantities via a single-step reaction. The simple heating of a mixture of benzaldehyde, ethanol and graphite oxide (GO) with residual sulfuric acid in an autoclave produced 7 g of CNPs with a quantum yield of 20%. The CNPs can be dispersed in various organic solvents; hence, they are easily incorporated into polymer composites in forms such as nanofibers and thin films. Additionally, we observed that the GO present during the CNP synthesis was reduced. The reduced GO (RGO) was sufficiently conductive (σ ≈ 282 S m(-1)) such that it could be used as an electrode material in a supercapacitor; in addition, it can provide excellent capacitive behavior and high-rate capability. This work will contribute greatly to the development of efficient synthetic routes to diverse carbon nanomaterials, including CNPs and RGO, that are suitable for a wide range of applications.