Large-Scale Syntheses of Multicolor Stimulus Responsive Room-Temperature Phosphorescent Polymer-Carbonyl-Modified Carbon Nitrogen Quantum Dots

Abstract

Carbonyl-modified solid-state carbon nitrogen quantum dots (m-O�CNQDs) have emerged as promising room-temperature phosphorescent (RTP) materials close to commercialization. However, high-crystallinity m-O�CNQDs are insensitive to external stimuli such as water and heat due to strong stacking interactions between layers, restricting their applications in stimulus responsive fields. Here, a polymer template space-confined growth strategy is established for the large-scale synthesis of water stimulus responsive polyvinylpyrrolidone-functionalized m-O�CNQDs with ultralong room-temperature phosphorescence (181 ms) using urea and PVP as precursors. Theoretical and experimental results indicate that the PVP template linked at the rim of m-O�CNQDs formed by in situ selfpolymerization of urea inhibits interactions between layers and increases their affinity for water, which is the key to increasing their sensitivity with water. This strategy offers a new path for developing commercial stimulus responsive RTP materials.

Unit-Emitting Carbon Dots

“…Panels m–p of Figure shows Raman spectra of the four C-dots. All four C-dot samples have two distinct signals at 1390 and 1520 cm –1 , which arise from D and G bands of the graphitized carbon phase, respectively . Furthermore, the A D / A G ratios of the four C-dots are about 0.50, indicating their similar carbon skeleton structure.…”