Blue, Green, Yellow and Red Carbon Dots: Confined Synthesis and Mechanism Study

Abstract

Preparing carbon dots with multicolor emission and unrevealing the synthesis mechanism have become a research focus. In this work, confined synthesis method has been introduced to synthesize blue, green, yellow and red carbon dots. Within the interlayer space of 2D layered double hydroxides, the emission wavelengths of synthesized carbon dots have been significantly regularly shifted. Experimental and theoretical analyses revealed that the confined microenvironment results a 2D crystallized and reduced state structure. Moreover, the emission wavelength can be further exquisitely regulated by changing the microscopic arrangement of reactants in confined space. This study represents a significant advance for manipulate the carbon materials nanostructure utilizing confined environment.