Construction of Carbon Dots with Wavelength-Tunable Electrochemiluminescence and Enhanced Efficiency

Abstract

Tuning the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) wavelength of carbon dots (CDs) with enhanced efficiency is essential for multiplexed biosensing, bioimaging, and energy applications but remains challenging. Herein, we reported a facile route to finely modulate the ECL wavelength of CDs from 425 to 645 nm, the widest range ever reported, along with a more than 5-fold enhancement of ECL efficiency via phosphorous (P) incorporation. The molecular mechanism was explored experimentally and theoretically, which revealed the unusual dual roles of P dopants in the form of P–C and P–O bonding, that is, importing shallow trapping states and promoting an effective intramolecular charge transfer. This work would allow unlocking the key factors of ECL kinetics for heteroatom-doped CDs appearing out of reach and open a new avenue for the rational design of nanocarbon for desirable applications.

Nitrogen-, Sulfur-, and Fluorine-Codoped Carbon Dots with Low Excitation Potential and High Electrochemiluminescence Efficiency for Sensitive Detection of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2

“…In the past few years, electrochemiluminescence (ECL) with high sensitivity, wide measurement range, low background, and strong anti-interference ability − has attracted much attention from researchers and displayed promising application value in clinical diagnosis. Carbon dots (CDs), as emerging materials, have the merits of high biocompatibility, low cost, and ecological friendliness, − and they have been widely used as ECL emitters to apply in food safety testing and biomolecule detection. , Regrettably, existing CDs had some disadvantages of low ECL efficiency and high excitation potential, which hampered their further application in bioanalysis. Herein, nitrogen,, sulfur-, and fluorine-codoped carbon dots (NSF-CDs) with high ECL efficiency and low excitation potential were prepared as novel ECL emitters.…”

Identification and Quantification of 5-Methylcytosine and 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine on Random DNA Sequences by a Nanoconfined Electrochemiluminescence Platform

“…As shown in Figure A, the 3D ECL spectrum of CPDs@SiO 2 showed a maximum wavelength at 640.3 nm under a potential of −2.0 V, which was evidently different from the emission peak of S 2 O 8 2– (at around 680 nm, Figure S2), implying that CPDs@SiO 2 was the ECL luminophore instead of S 2 O 8 2– . Compared with the FL emission peak at 402.8 nm, the maximum ECL emission peak of CPDs@SiO 2 in Figure B displayed a significant redshift of 237.5 nm, which was probably due to the surface-state-related ECL emission . As shown in Figure C, compared to the FL emission of the CPDs at 477.6 nm, the peak of CPDs@SiO 2 was blueshifted under the excitation, which may be attributed to reinforcing rigidity induced by silicon networks .…”

“…Compared with the FL emission peak at 402.8 nm, the maximum ECL emission peak of CPDs@SiO 2 in Figure 2B displayed a significant redshift of 237.5 nm, which was probably due to the surfacestate-related ECL emission. 31 As shown in Figure 2C, compared to the FL emission of the CPDs at 477.6 nm, the peak of CPDs@SiO 2 was blueshifted under the excitation, which may be attributed to reinforcing rigidity induced by silicon networks. 32 As shown in Figure 2D, during the cathodic scan, CPDs@SiO 2 had higher ECL intensity and efficiency (see Section 8 of SI, Figure S5) than CPDs.…”

Emerging Trends of Carbon‐Based Quantum Dots: Nanoarchitectonics and Applications

“…In addition, the same group successfully developed a facile method to tune CQDs ECL wavelength from 425 to 645 nm as well as achieve a fivefold ECL efficiency increase by P atom incorporation. [ 512 ] Further investigation reveals that P dopants lead to shallow trapping states and facilitate an efficient intramolecular charge transfer.…”