TY - THES A1 - Meiling, Till Thomas T1 - Development of a reliable and environmentally friendly synthesis for fluorescence carbon nanodots T1 - Entwicklung einer zuverlässigen und umweltfreundlichen Synthese für fluoreszierende Kohlenstoff-Nanopunkte BT - preparation and characterisation of excellent and well-defined carbon nanodots by a fast, simple and cost-efficient synthesis method; with special focus on future exploration and large scale applications BT - Herstellung und Charakterisierung von hochwertigen und klar definierten Kohlenstoff-Nanopunkten mit Hilfe einer schnellen, einfachen, und kosteneffizienten Synthesemethode; mit speziellem Fokus auf ihre zukünftige Erforschung und breite Anwendung N2 - Carbon nanodots (CNDs) have generated considerable attention due to their promising properties, e.g. high water solubility, chemical inertness, resistance to photobleaching, high biocompatibility and ease of functionalization. These properties render them ideal for a wide range of functions, e.g. electrochemical applications, waste water treatment, (photo)catalysis, bio-imaging and bio-technology, as well as chemical sensing, and optoelectronic devices like LEDs. In particular, the ability to prepare CNDs from a wide range of accessible organic materials makes them a potential alternative for conventional organic dyes and semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) in various applications. However, current synthesis methods are typically expensive and depend on complex and time-consuming processes or severe synthesis conditions and toxic chemicals. One way to reduce overall preparation costs is the use of biological waste as starting material. Hence, natural carbon sources such as pomelo peal, egg white and egg yolk, orange juice, and even eggshells, to name a few; have been used for the preparation of CNDs. While the use of waste is desirable, especially to avoid competition with essential food production, most starting-materials lack the essential purity and structural homogeneity to obtain homogeneous carbon dots. Furthermore, most synthesis approaches reported to date require extensive purification steps and have resulted in carbon dots with heterogeneous photoluminescent properties and indefinite composition. For this reason, among others, the relationship between CND structure (e.g. size, edge shape, functional groups and overall composition) and photophysical properties is yet not fully understood. This is particularly true for carbon dots displaying selective luminescence (one of their most intriguing properties), i.e. their PL emission wavelength can be tuned by varying the excitation wavelength. In this work, a new reliable, economic, and environmentally-friendly one-step synthesis is established to obtain CNDs with well-defined and reproducible photoluminescence (PL) properties via the microwave-assisted hydrothermal treatment of starch, carboxylic acids and Tris-EDTA (TE) buffer as carbon- and nitrogen source, respectively. The presented microwave-assisted hydrothermal precursor carbonization (MW-hPC) is characterized by its cost-efficiency, simplicity, short reaction times, low environmental footprint, and high yields of approx. 80% (w/w). Furthermore, only a single synthesis step is necessary to obtain homogeneous water-soluble CNDs with no need for further purification. Depending on starting materials and reaction conditions different types of CNDs have been prepared. The as-prepared CNDs exhibit reproducible, highly homogeneous and favourable PL properties with narrow emission bands (approx. 70nm FWHM), are non-blinking, and are ready to use without need for further purification, modification or surface passivation agents. Furthermore, the CNDs are comparatively small (approx. 2.0nm to 2.4nm) with narrow size distributions; are stable over a long period of time (at least one year), either in solution or as a dried solid; and maintain their PL properties when re-dispersed in solution. Depending on CND type, the PL quantum yield (PLQY) can be adjusted from as low as 1% to as high as 90%; one of the highest reported PLQY values (for CNDs) so far. An essential part of this work was the utilization of a microwave synthesis reactor, allowing various batch sizes and precise control over reaction temperature and -time, pressure, and heating- and cooling rate, while also being safe to operate at elevated reaction conditions (e.g. 230 ±C and 30 bar). The hereby-achieved high sample throughput allowed, for the first time, the thorough investigation of a wide range of synthesis parameters, providing valuable insight into the CND formation. The influence of carbon- and nitrogen source, precursor concentration and -combination, reaction time and -temperature, batch size, and post-synthesis purification steps were carefully investigated regarding their influence on the optical properties of as-synthesized CNDs. In addition, the change in photophysical properties resulting from the conversion of CND solution into solid and back into the solution was investigated. Remarkably, upon freeze-drying the initial brown CND-solution turns into a non-fluorescent white/slightly yellow to brown solid which recovers PL in aqueous solution. Selected CND samples were also subject to EDX, FTIR, NMR, PL lifetime (TCSPC), particle size (TEM), TGA and XRD analysis. Besides structural characterization, the pH- and excitation dependent PL characteristics (i.e. selective luminescence) were examined; giving inside into the origin of photophysical properties and excitation dependent behaviour of CNDs. The obtained results support the notion that for CNDs the nature of the surface states determines the PL properties and that excitation dependent behaviour is caused by the “Giant Red-Edge Excitation Shift” (GREES). N2 - Kohlenstoff-Nanopunkte (CNDs, engl. carbon nanodots) haben im letzten Jahrzehnt insbesondere durch ihre vielversprechenden Eigenschaften immer mehr an Popularität gewonnen. CNDs zeichnen sich insbesondere durch ihre Wasserlöslichkeit, hohe chemische Stabilität, Biokompatibilität, hohe Resistenz gegen Photobleichen, und die Möglichkeit zur Oberflächenfunktionalisierung aus. Diese Eigenschaften machen sie somit ideal für eine breite Palette von Anwendungen: z.B. Abwasserbehandlung, (Foto-) Katalyse, Bioimaging und Biotechnologie, chemische Sensorik, sowie elektrochemische- und optoelektronische Anwendungen (z.B. LEDs). Insbesondere die Möglichkeit, CNDs aus einer Vielzahl organischer Materialien herzustellen, machen sie zu einer möglichen Alternative für herkömmliche organische Farbstoffe und Halbleiter-Quantenpunkte (QDs). Derzeitigen Synthesestrategien erweisen sich jedoch häufig als teuer, komplex und zeitaufwändig; bzw. benötigen toxischen Chemikalien und/oder drastische Reaktionsbedingungen. Eine Möglichkeit, die Herstellungskosten von CNDs zu reduzieren, ist die Verwendung von biologischem Abfall als Ausgangsmaterial. So wurden bereits eine Vielzahl an natürlichen Kohlenstoffquellen, z.B. Pomelo-Schale, Eiweiß und Eigelb, Orangensaft und sogar Eierschalen, für die Darstellung von CNDs verwendet. Während die Verwendung von biologischem Abfall wünschenswert ist, insbesondere um Wettbewerb mit der Nahrungsmittelproduktion zu vermeiden, fehlt den meisten Ausgangsmaterialien jedoch die notwendige Reinheit und strukturelle Homogenität um einheitliche CNDs zu erhalten. So führen bisherige Syntheseansätze oft zu CNDs mit heterogenen photophysikalischen Eigenschaften und unbestimmter Zusammensetzung. Für die Untersuchung des Zusammenhangs zwischen CND Struktur und photophysikalischen Eigenschaften werden aber möglichst homogene und vergleichbare Proben benötigt. In dieser Arbeit wird daher eine neue, zuverlässige, ökonomische und umweltfreundliche Einstufen-Synthese zur Darstellung von CNDs mit klar definierten und reproduzierbaren Photolumineszenz- (PL) -Eigenschaften vorgestellt. Die vorgestellte Methode basiert auf der mikrowellenunterstützten, hydrothermischen Behandlung (MW-hPC, engl. microwaveassisted hydrothermal precursor carbonization) wässriger Lösungen aus Stärke, Carbonsäuren (als Kohlenstoffquelle) und Tris-EDTA (TE) -Puffer (als Stickstoffquelle). Die MW-hPC zeichnet sich insbesondere durch die hohe Reproduzierbarkeit, einfache Handhabung, geringen Reaktionszeiten, geringe Umweltbelastung, Kosteneffizienz und die hohen Ausbeuten von ca. 80% (w/w) aus. Darüber hinaus wird nur ein einziger Syntheseschritt (ohne weitere Aufreinigung) benötigt um homogene, wasserlösliche CNDs zu erhalten. In Abhängig der gewählten Ausgangsmaterialen und Reaktionsbedingungen können verschiedene Typen an CNDs gewonnen werden. Die so gewonnen CNDs sind verhältnismäßig klein (ca. 2.0nm- 2.4nm); besitzen eine geringe Größenverteilung, hochgradig homogenen PL-Eigenschaften, und geringen Halbwertsbreiten (FWHM) von ca. 70nm. Darüber hinaus erwiesen sie sich als nicht blinkend; sind langzeitstabil (min. ein Jahr) sowohl in Lösung als auch als Feststoff; und sind direkt gebrauchsfertig, d.h. benötigen keine weitere Aufreinigung oder Oberflächenpassivierung. In Abhängigkeit vom CND-Typ kann die PL-Quantenausbeute zwischen 1% bis 90% betragen; einer der höchsten Werte der je (für CNDs) erreicht wurde. Ein wesentlicher Bestandteil dieser Arbeit war die Verwendung eines Mikrowellensynthese- Reaktors (MiWR) und die damit einhergehende präzise Kontrolle über die Reaktionstemperatur und -zeit, den Druck, und die Heiz- und Abkühlgeschwindigkeit. Des Weiteren ermöglichte der MiWR unterschiedliche Ansatzgrößen und das sichere Arbeiten bei erhöhten Reaktionsbedingungen (z.B. 230 ±C und 30 bar). Der hierdurch erreichte hohe Probendurchsatz ermöglichte somit erstmals die sorgfältige Untersuchung einer Vielzahl an Syntheseparametern hinsichtlich ihres Einflusses auf die photophysikalischen Eigenschaften der dargestellten CNDs. Die untersuchten Parameter reichen hierbei von der Reaktionstemperatur und -zeit über die Edukt-Konzentration und -Kombination (Kohlenstoff- und Stickstoffquelle) bis hin zur Ansatzgröße. Bemerkenswerterweise, und unabhängig vom CND-Typ, transformieren die ursprünglich braunen CND-Lösungen während der Trocknung zu einem nicht fluoreszierenden, weißen/leicht gelblich bis bräunlichen Feststoff; und regenerieren ihre photophysikalischen Eigenschaften verlustfrei in wässriger Lösung. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurden ausgewählte CND-Proben der EDX-, FTIR-, NMR-, TCSPC-, Partikelgrößen (TEM)-, TGA- und XRD-Analyse unterzogen. Die hierbei gewonnenen Erkenntnisse stützen die Theorie, dass die photophysikalischen Eigenschaften der CNDs durch ihre Oberflächenzustände bestimmt werden und dass die s.g. ”Riesen-Rotkanten-Anregungsverschiebung” (GREES, engl. Giant Red Edge Excitation Shift) eine mögliche Ursache für die häufig beobachtete Anregungswellenlängenabhängigkeit der Emissionswellenlänge (bzw. selektive Lumineszenz) in CNDs ist. KW - carbon dots KW - carbon nanodots KW - fluorescence KW - high quantum yield KW - microwave synthesis KW - white carbon KW - Kohlenstoff-Punkte KW - Kohlenstoff-Nanopunkte KW - Fluoreszenz KW - hohe Quantenausbeute KW - mikrowellengestützte Synthese KW - weißer Kohlenstoff Y1 - 2017 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-410160 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zühlke, Martin A1 - Meiling, Till Thomas A1 - Roder, Phillip A1 - Riebe, Daniel A1 - Beitz, Toralf A1 - Bald, Ilko A1 - Löhmannsröben, Hans-Gerd A1 - Janßen, Traute A1 - Erhard, Marcel A1 - Repp, Alexander T1 - Photodynamic inactivation of E. coli bacteria via carbon nanodots JF - ACS omega / American Chemical Society N2 - The increasing development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria has been a major problem for years, both in human and veterinary medicine. Prophylactic measures, such as the use of vaccines, are of great importance in reducing the use of antibiotics in livestock. These vaccines are mainly produced based on formaldehyde inactivation. However, the latter damages the recognition elements of the bacterial proteins and thus could reduce the immune response in the animal. An alternative inactivation method developed in this work is based on gentle photodynamic inactivation using carbon nanodots (CNDs) at excitation wavelengths λex > 290 nm. The photodynamic inactivation was characterized on the nonvirulent laboratory strain Escherichia coli K12 using synthesized CNDs. For a gentle inactivation, the CNDs must be absorbed into the cytoplasm of the E. coli cell. Thus, the inactivation through photoinduced formation of reactive oxygen species only takes place inside the bacterium, which means that the outer membrane is neither damaged nor altered. The loading of the CNDs into E. coli was examined using fluorescence microscopy. Complete loading of the bacterial cells could be achieved in less than 10 min. These studies revealed a reversible uptake process allowing the recovery and reuse of the CNDs after irradiation and before the administration of the vaccine. The success of photodynamic inactivation was verified by viability assays on agar. In a homemade flow photoreactor, the fastest successful irradiation of the bacteria could be carried out in 34 s. Therefore, the photodynamic inactivation based on CNDs is very effective. The membrane integrity of the bacteria after irradiation was verified by slide agglutination and atomic force microscopy. The method developed for the laboratory strain E. coli K12 could then be successfully applied to the important avian pathogens Bordetella avium and Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale to aid the development of novel vaccines. KW - Bacteria KW - Genetics KW - Fluorescence KW - Photodynamics KW - Irradiation Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.1c01700 SN - 2470-1343 VL - 6 IS - 37 SP - 23742 EP - 23749 PB - ACS Publications CY - Washington, DC ER - TY - GEN A1 - Zühlke, Martin A1 - Meiling, Till Thomas A1 - Roder, Phillip A1 - Riebe, Daniel A1 - Beitz, Toralf A1 - Bald, Ilko A1 - Löhmannsröben, Hans-Gerd A1 - Janßen, Traute A1 - Erhard, Marcel A1 - Repp, Alexander T1 - Photodynamic Inactivation of E. coli Bacteria via Carbon Nanodots T2 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe N2 - The increasing development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria has been a major problem for years, both in human and veterinary medicine. Prophylactic measures, such as the use of vaccines, are of great importance in reducing the use of antibiotics in livestock. These vaccines are mainly produced based on formaldehyde inactivation. However, the latter damages the recognition elements of the bacterial proteins and thus could reduce the immune response in the animal. An alternative inactivation method developed in this work is based on gentle photodynamic inactivation using carbon nanodots (CNDs) at excitation wavelengths λex > 290 nm. The photodynamic inactivation was characterized on the nonvirulent laboratory strain Escherichia coli K12 using synthesized CNDs. For a gentle inactivation, the CNDs must be absorbed into the cytoplasm of the E. coli cell. Thus, the inactivation through photoinduced formation of reactive oxygen species only takes place inside the bacterium, which means that the outer membrane is neither damaged nor altered. The loading of the CNDs into E. coli was examined using fluorescence microscopy. Complete loading of the bacterial cells could be achieved in less than 10 min. These studies revealed a reversible uptake process allowing the recovery and reuse of the CNDs after irradiation and before the administration of the vaccine. The success of photodynamic inactivation was verified by viability assays on agar. In a homemade flow photoreactor, the fastest successful irradiation of the bacteria could be carried out in 34 s. Therefore, the photodynamic inactivation based on CNDs is very effective. The membrane integrity of the bacteria after irradiation was verified by slide agglutination and atomic force microscopy. The method developed for the laboratory strain E. coli K12 could then be successfully applied to the important avian pathogens Bordetella avium and Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale to aid the development of novel vaccines. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 1220 KW - Bacteria KW - Genetics KW - Fluorescence KW - Photodynamics KW - Irradiation Y1 - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-538425 SN - 1866-8372 SP - 23742 EP - 23749 PB - Universität Potsdam CY - Potsdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Meiling, Till Thomas A1 - Schürmann, Robin Mathis A1 - Vogel, Stefanie A1 - Ebel, Kenny A1 - Nicolas, Christophe A1 - Milosavljevic, Aleksandar R. A1 - Bald, Ilko T1 - Photophysics and Chemistry of Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanodots with High Photoluminescence Quantum Yield JF - The journal of physical chemistry : C, Nanomaterials and interfaces N2 - Fluorescent carbon nanodots (CNDs) are very promising nanomaterials for a broad range of applications because of their high photostability, presumed selective luminescence, and low cost at which they can be produced. In this respect, CNDs are superior to well-established semiconductor quantum dots and organic dyes. However, reported synthesis protocols for CNDs typically lead to low photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and low reproducibility, resulting in a poor understanding of the CND chemistry and photophysics. Here, we report a one-step synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbon nanodots (N-CNDs) from various carboxylic acids, Tris, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid resulting in high PLQY of up to 90%. The reaction conditions in terms of starting materials, temperature, and reaction time are carefully optimized and their influence on the photophysical properties is characterized. We find that citric acid-derived N-CNDs can result in a very high PLQY of 90%, but they do not show selective luminescence. By contrast, acetic acid-derived N-CNDs show selective luminescence but a PLQY of 50%. The chemical composition of the surface and core of these two selected N-CND types is characterized among others by high-resolution synchrotron X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy using single isolated N-CND clusters. The results indicate that photoexcitation occurs in the N-CND core, whereas the emission properties are determined by the N-CND surface groups. Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.8b00748 SN - 1932-7447 VL - 122 IS - 18 SP - 10217 EP - 10230 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Weclawski, Marek K. A1 - Meiling, Till Thomas A1 - Leniak, Arkadiusz A1 - Cywinski, Piotr J. A1 - Gryko, Daniel T. T1 - Planar, Fluorescent Push-Pull System That Comprises Benzofuran and Iminocoumarin Moieties JF - Organic letters N2 - Previously unknown, vertically linked heterocycles comprised of benzofuran and iminocoumarin moieties have been synthesized directly from 1,5-dibenzoyloxyanthraquinone and arylacetonitriles via double Knoevenagel condensation followed by formal HCN elimination. The structural assembly of fully conjugated, electron-rich benzofuran and electron-deficient iminocoumarin is responsible for the strongly polarized nature of these heterocycles which translates into their polarity-sensitive fluorescence. Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.orglett.5b02042 SN - 1523-7060 SN - 1523-7052 VL - 17 IS - 17 SP - 4252 EP - 4255 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Nazir, Rashid A1 - Meiling, Till Thomas A1 - Cywinski, Piotr J. A1 - Gryko, Daniel T. T1 - Synthesis and Optical Properties of alpha,beta-Unsaturated Ketones Bearing a Benzofuran Moiety JF - Asian journal of organic chemistry : an ACES journal N2 - Five pi-expanded alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones have been prepared from a strongly electron-rich benzofuran derivative via Knoevenagel reaction and aldol condensation. The incorporation of two 6-didodecylaminobenzofuran-2-yl groups at the periphery of D-pi-A and D-pi-A-pi-D molecules resulted in dyes with excellent solubility in the majority of organic solvents. In contrast to the majority of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones, these dyes emit relatively strongly in the red region with a fluorescence quantum yield up to 40%. They also display strong solvatofluorochromism with emission shifting from 570 nm in toluene to 670 nm in CHCl3. Depending on the chemical structure, they two-photon cross-sections (sigma(2)) are up to 1700 GM (1 GM=10(50) cm(4)s photon(-1)). KW - aldol reaction KW - benzofurans KW - fluorescence KW - ketones KW - two-photon absorption Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/ajoc.201500242 SN - 2193-5807 SN - 2193-5815 VL - 4 IS - 9 SP - 929 EP - 935 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Meiling, Till Thomas A1 - Cywinski, Piotr J. A1 - Löhmannsröben, Hans-Gerd T1 - Two-Photon excitation fluorescence spectroscopy of quantum dots BT - photophysical properties and application in bioassays JF - The journal of physical chemistry : C, Nanomaterials and interfaces N2 - The applications of quantum dots (QDs) in two-photon (2P) excitation applications demand reliable data about their 2P absorption (2PA) cross sections (sigma(2PA)). In the present study, sigma(2PA) values have been determined for a series of commercial colloidal CdSe/ZnS QDs and CdSeTe/ZnS QDs in aqueous media. For the first time for these QDs, the sigma(2PA) values have been determined over a wide spectral range, that is, between 720 and 900 nm, and are compared to the extinction coefficient (epsilon) values obtained under one-photon (1P) excitation. Furthermore, we present a QD in combination with an organic dye in a biotin-streptavidin Forster resonance energy transfer bioassay under 1P and 2P excitation. The results for the bioassay under 2P excitation are compared to those obtained under 1P excitation. The results demonstrate that in the case of the 2P excitation, higher sensitivity can be achieved because of an improved signal-to-noise ratio. Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b12345 SN - 1932-7447 SN - 1932-7455 VL - 122 IS - 17 SP - 9641 EP - 9647 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington ER - TY - GEN A1 - Wessig, Pablo A1 - Hille, Carsten A1 - Kumke, Michael Uwe A1 - Meiling, Till Thomas A1 - Behrends, Nicole A1 - Eisold, Ursula T1 - Two-photon FRET pairs based on coumarin and DBD dyes N2 - The synthesis and photophysical properties of two new FRET pairs based on coumarin as a donor and DBD dye as an acceptor are described. The introduction of a bromo atom dramatically increases the two-photon excitation (2PE) cross section providing a 2PE-FRET system, which is also suitable for 2PE-FLIM. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 318 KW - resonance energy-tansfer KW - conformational-changes KW - microscopy KW - proteins KW - acid Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-394445 SP - 33510 EP - 33513 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Meiling, Till Thomas A1 - Cywiński, Piotr J. A1 - Bald, Ilko T1 - White carbon: Fluorescent carbon nanoparticles with tunable quantum yield in a reproducible green synthesis N2 - In this study, a new reliable, economic, and environmentally-friendly one-step synthesis is established to obtain carbon nanodots (CNDs) with well-defined and reproducible photoluminescence (PL) properties via the microwave-assisted hydrothermal treatment of starch and Tris-acetate-EDTA (TAE) buffer as carbon sources. Three kinds of CNDs are prepared using different sets of above mentioned starting materials. The as-synthesized CNDs: C-CND (starch only), N-CND 1 (starch in TAE) and N-CND 2 (TAE only) exhibit highly homogenous PL and are ready to use without need for further purification. The CNDs are stable over a long period of time (>1 year) either in solution or as freeze-dried powder. Depending on starting material, CNDs with PL quantum yield (PLQY) ranging from less than 1% up to 28% are obtained. The influence of the precursor concentration, reaction time and type of additives on the optical properties (UV-Vis absorption, PL emission spectrum and PLQY) is carefully investigated, providing insight into the chemical processes that occur during CND formation. Remarkably, upon freeze-drying the initially brown CND-solution turns into a non-fluorescent white/slightly brown powder which recovers PL in aqueous solution and can potentially be applied as fluorescent marker in bio-imaging, as a reduction agent or as a photocatalyst. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 264 KW - Fluorescence spectroscopy KW - Nanoparticles KW - Synthesis and processing Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-97087 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Meiling, Till Thomas A1 - Cywiński, Piotr J. A1 - Bald, Ilko T1 - White carbon: Fluorescent carbon nanoparticles with tunable quantum yield in a reproducible green synthesis JF - Scientific reports N2 - In this study, a new reliable, economic, and environmentally-friendly one-step synthesis is established to obtain carbon nanodots (CNDs) with well-defined and reproducible photoluminescence (PL) properties via the microwave-assisted hydrothermal treatment of starch and Tris-acetate-EDTA (TAE) buffer as carbon sources. Three kinds of CNDs are prepared using different sets of above mentioned starting materials. The as-synthesized CNDs: C-CND (starch only), N-CND 1 (starch in TAE) and N-CND 2 (TAE only) exhibit highly homogenous PL and are ready to use without need for further purification. The CNDs are stable over a long period of time (>1 year) either in solution or as freeze-dried powder. Depending on starting material, CNDs with PL quantum yield (PLQY) ranging from less than 1% up to 28% are obtained. The influence of the precursor concentration, reaction time and type of additives on the optical properties (UV-Vis absorption, PL emission spectrum and PLQY) is carefully investigated, providing insight into the chemical processes that occur during CND formation. Remarkably, upon freeze-drying the initially brown CND-solution turns into a non-fluorescent white/slightly brown powder which recovers PL in aqueous solution and can potentially be applied as fluorescent marker in bio-imaging, as a reduction agent or as a photocatalyst. KW - Fluorescence spectroscopy KW - Nanoparticles KW - Synthesis and processing Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1038/srep28557 VL - 6 PB - Nature Publishing Group CY - London ER -