Aqueous Carbon Quantum Dot-Embedded PC60-PC₆₁BM Nanospheres for Ecological Fluorescent Printing: Contrasting Fluorescence Resonance Energy-Transfer Signals between Watermelon-like and Random Morphologies

Abstract

To go beyond the PC60 surfactant structure, the double-layer micelle morphology in water motivates exploration of altered protocols to produce new morphologies. Furthermore, the low photoluminescence quantum yield of aqueous fullerene-based particles encourages high fluorescence to create a light-emitting display. With this in mind, we established new hybrid n-type nanospheres with carbon quantum dot (CQD)-embedded PC60-PC61BM particles, processed using two different protocols. The homogenizer-assisted PC60-CQD-PC61BM resulted in a watermelon-shaped spherical particle, whereas a circular morphology with randomly embedded CQDs was observed in the microwave-treated hybrids. More surprisingly, the watermelon-shaped colloid induced efficient fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the CQD and C60 molecules of PC61BM, and the FRET-mediated emission signature diminished gradually as the stripe patterns collapsed. This phenomenon allowed different fluorescent colors in the colloidal printing film. We thereby provided the new carrier dynamics of the particle photonic activities of the developed aqueous PC60-based colloids with the possibility of ecological utilization.

Environmentally exploitable biocide/fluorescent metal marker carbon quantum dots

“…The colloidal solution of CQDs before dialysis showed two absorbance peaks that are typical for CQDs in the ultraviolet region at 250 nm and 300 nm, characteristic for a pi-electron (p-p*) C]C transition of the aromatic sp 2 bond and n-p* transition of C]O functional groups, respectively. 62,63 This data is in agreement with the literature, 64 in which the optical absorption spectra of CQDs are typically in the ultraviolet range. However, aer dialysis the intensity of the absorbance peaks was diminished and slightly shied to longer wavelengths of 275 and 340 nm, which could be attributed to the purication of CQDs through the elimination of non-favorable unreacted molecules and byproducts via dialysis, which preserved the aromatized CQDs.…”

High Yield Synthesis of Water‐Processable Donor:Acceptor Janus Nanoparticles with Tuned Internal Morphology and Highly Efficient Charge Separation/Transfer

“…This result suggests the efficient charge transfer is related to the internal structure of nanoparticles. [ 22 ]…”

Doping and Surface Modification of Carbon Quantum Dots for Enhanced Functionalities and Related Applications

“…[ 23,316–318 ] The aqueous ink obtained by embedding CQDs with nanoparticles facilitates the possibilities of ecological printing as CQDs behave as FRET donors. [ 319 ] When the nanoparticle embedded CQDs are introduced to the aqueous fluorescent ink, the colloidal films exhibited a range of fluorescence colors that can be tuned by the photonic property induced by the FRET effect.…”