Surface State-Based panchromatic luminescent carbon dots

Carbon dots have shown a broad application prospect in the fields of sensing and detection, biological imaging, and optoelectronic devices. However, it is still challenging to adopt a simple and green synthesis route and to develop new precursor systems to prepare full-color luminescent carbon dots. This study proposes a mechanism for fine regulation of carbon dot fluorescence spectra based on surface states of CN, COC, and OH, among which CN play a major role in long wavelength emission while COC and OH are responsible for the blue shift of emission wavelength. Using 4,4-bipyridine and p-phenylenediamine as precursors in safe and environmentally friendly glycol and water as solvents for the first time, the fine spectral carbon dots with full spectrum luminescence from purple (441 nm) to red (627 nm) were successfully synthesized by simply changing the composition of the reaction solvent and using a short reaction time. Compared with other reports on regulating polychromatic carbon dots, our method is more refined and has a wider distribution of luminescent colors. In addition, the obtained carbon dots based on such surface state luminescence mechanism have shown good application prospects in specific detection of Fe³⁺and cell labeling.