Red emitting and highly stable carbon dots with dual response to pH values and ferric ions

The authors describe strongly red-emitting carbon dots (CDs) which were obtained via microwave synthesis using phenylenediamine as the carbon source. The structural and optical properties of the resultant CDs are studied in some detail. The CDs possess (a) longwave emission (peaking at 620 nm under 470 nm excitation), (b) a quantum yield of ~15%, (c) a size of typically 3.8 nm; and (d) good photostability. The CDs have a pH-dependet response that covers the pH 5 to 10 range, and their fluorescence is quenched by ferric ions. The CDs can detect ferric ions in aqueous samples in the 0 to 30 μM concentration range with a lower detection limit of 15 nM. The CDs were also used to image pH values and ferric ions in E. coli bacteria. Graphical abstract The red-emitting carbon dots with high stability are synthesized which show dual response to pH-values and ferric ions in aqueous solution and biological media simultaneously.