Formation mechanism and optimization of highly luminescent N-doped graphene quantum dots

Photoluminescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have received enormous attention because of their unique chemical, electronic and optical properties. Here a series of GQDs were synthesized under hydrothermal processes in order to investigate the formation process and optical properties of N-doped GQDs. Citric acid (CA) was used as a carbon precursor and self-assembled into sheet structure in a basic condition and formed N-free GQD graphite framework through intermolecular dehydrolysis reaction. N-doped GQDs were prepared using a series of N-containing bases such as urea. Detailed structural and property studies demonstrated the formation mechanism of N-doped GQDs for tunable optical emissions. Hydrothermal…

• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Award: AC04-94AL85000
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 61176016, 21201159, DE-AC04-94AL85000
• SK
  State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry
• NN
  National Nuclear Security Administration

  Awards: Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000, DE-AC04-94AL85000
• CI
  Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry
• SN
  Sandia National Laboratories

  Awards: Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000, DE-AC04-94AL85000, AC04-94AL85000