Boron Doped Carbon Quantum Dots: Turn-Off Fluorescent Probe for Dopamine Detection

In this report, Boron-doped carbon quantum dots (BCQD, size = 2.3 nm) were fabricated by modified hydrothermal carbonization method by one-pot synthesis using phenyl boronic acid as the common precursor that provided seed for the formation of carbon quantum dots as well as the dopant. These quantum dots exhibited excellent properties including aqueous dispersibility, strong fluorescence emission, good environmental stability, highselectivity and sensitivity towards the neurochemical, dopamine even in the absence of any linker or functionalizing agents. It is shown that this material can be used as a "turn off" fluorescent probe for the detection of even low concentration of dopamine with a minimum detection limit of ~6 μM. The simplicity of synthesis protocol and the easiness of dopamine detection define the novelty of this approach.