Unique Dual Functions for Carbon Dots in Emulsion Preparations: Costabilization and Fluorescence Probing

Recently, carbon dots (CDs) have drawn much attention as evidenced by their incorporation into many branches of science and engineering. Herein, a further unique application is elucidated: CDs that are synthesized by the hydrothermal treatment of gelatin for a dual functionality as expressed in costabilization of particle-based emulsions and their concomitant role as fluorescent probes. CDs either with or without gelatin matrixes induce the aggregation of Laponite particles. The introduction of CDs thus enhanced the stability of Laponite-stabilized emulsions and promoted the formation of multiple emulsions and emulsions with fine and uniform droplets when the CD-to-Laponite mass ratio was less than 45% and exceeded 60%, respectively. However, CDs without gelatin matrixes show slightly higher efficiency than CDs within gelatin matrixes for the costabilization of emulsions. CDs also costabilized emulsions with Laponite to allow the distribution of Laponite particles to be traced and the emulsion profiled under UV.