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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Ultrahigh Density Array of Vertically Aligned Small-molecular Organic Nanowires on Arbitrary Substrates
Published on: June 18, 2013
Plasma-Tailored Carbon Dots with Atomic-Level sp2/sp3 Hybridization for Programmable Band Structures and Optothermal
Muhammad Hussnain Akmal1, Darwin Kurniawan1, Shannon Wu1
1Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, 10607, Taiwan.
Abstract:
Controlling sp2/sp3 hybridization in carbon nanomaterials with precision is critical for tuning their electronic and optical properties and enhancing their functionality; however, achieving this under energy-efficient and eco-friendly conditions remains challenging. A modular plasma nanoengineering approach is presented that enables atomic-level control of hybridization in zero-dimensional carbon dots (CDs) using ambient-pressure microplasmas. By adjusting the plasma energy via discharge current and capillary confinement, the sp2/sp3 ratio is programmed to produce adjustable optical bandgaps (2.75-3.1 eV) and phase-dependent optothermal responses. The plasma-synthesized CDs demonstrate stable photoluminescence (PL)-based thermal sensitivity of up to 1.38% °C-1, outperforming traditional semiconductors and carbon materials. Microscopic and spectroscopic studies identify an optimal sp2 content (≈84%) that maximizes the phonon-exciton coupling and enhances the thermal control of PL. This catalyst-free, low-temperature method offers a scalable and sustainable pathway for customizable carbon nanomaterials, paving the way for wearable, implantable, and optoelectronic sensor applications.
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