Particulate, structural, and optical properties of D-glucose-derived carbon dots synthesized by microwave-assisted hydrothermal treatment

Environmentally friendly and visible fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) have received attention as alternatives to compound semiconductor quantum dots containing toxic elements. Hydrothermal reaction of water-soluble carbohydrates can provide an eco-friendly and facile synthesis approach to CDs. In this study, we have attempted to efficiently produce uniform CDs using a microwave heating system that can maintain the reaction solution at a constant temperature.We synthesized CDs from D-glucose through hydrothermal treatment at 200°C for 5-60 min. From transmission electron microscopy, the particle size of the CDs increased in proportion to the hydrothermal duration. Furthermore, the absorbance and maximum photoluminescence intensity of the CDs aqueous dispersions (10 mg L^-1) increased with an increase in hydrothermal duration. The maximum photoluminescence intensity of the dispersions decreased at pH < 4 and pH > 10; the absorbance at the excitation wavelength remained unchanged. These results indicate that the number of emission sites and absorption sites increased with an increase in the particle size and that emission sites were located near the surface of the obtained CDs.