Influence of Endogenous Derivatives on the Chemical Sensing Performance of Carbonized Polymer Dots

Endogenous derivatives, inevitably introduced during carbonized polymer dots (CPDs) synthesis, are considered to significantly influence their sensing performance. In this study, comparative studies on CPDs prepared via hydrothermal methods (CPDs-H₂O) and airflow-assisted melt polymerization (CPDs-AMP) reveal that CPDs-H₂O, containing abundant derivatives, exhibit superior stability and robustness in Fe³⁺ sensing in both solution and cells compared to derivative-deficient CPDs-AMP. Mechanistic investigations highlight the crucial role of endogenous derivatives in enhancing the intrinsic stability of CPDs polymer frameworks, challenging conventional perceptions and providing valuable insights for designing robust CPDs-based sensors for practical applications.