Carbon quantum dots directly generated from electrochemical oxidation of graphite electrodes in alkaline alcohols and the applications for specific ferric ion detection and cell imaging

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are attracting tremendous interest owing to their low toxicity, water dispersibility, biocompatibility, optical properties and wide applicability. Herein, CQDs with an average diameter of (4.0 ± 0.2) nm and high crystallinity were produced simply from the electrochemical o...

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Published inAnalyst (London) Vol. 141; no. 9; pp. 2657 - 2664
Main Authors Liu, Mengli, Xu, Yuanhong, Niu, Fushuang, Gooding, J Justin, Liu, Jingquan
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England 25.04.2016
Subjects
Alcohols
Alcohols - chemistry
Animals
Biocompatibility
Carbon
Cell Survival - drug effects
Dispersion
Electrochemical oxidation
Electrochemistry
Electrodes
Fourier transforms
Graphite - chemistry
Imaging
Iron - analysis
Mice
Molecular Imaging - methods
Oxidation-Reduction
Quantum Dots - chemistry
Quantum Dots - toxicity
Qunatum dots
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Summary:Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are attracting tremendous interest owing to their low toxicity, water dispersibility, biocompatibility, optical properties and wide applicability. Herein, CQDs with an average diameter of (4.0 ± 0.2) nm and high crystallinity were produced simply from the electrochemical oxidation of a graphite electrode in alkaline alcohols. The as-formed CQDs dispersion was colourless but the dispersion gradually changed to bright yellow when stored in ambient conditions. Based on UV-Vis absorption, fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), this colour change appeared to be due to oxygenation of surface species over time. Furthermore, the CQDs were used in specific and sensitive detection of ferric ion (Fe(3+)) with broad linear ranges of 10-200 μM with a low limit of detection of 1.8 μM (S/N = 3). The application of the CQDs for Fe(3+) detection in tap water was demonstrated and the possible mechanism was also discussed. Finally, based on their good characteristics of low cytotoxicity and excellent biocompatibility, the CQDs were successfully applied to cell imaging.
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ISSN:0003-2654
1364-5528
DOI:10.1039/c5an02231b