Bandgap‐Like Strong Fluorescence in Functionalized Carbon Nanoparticles

Quantum of solace: Fluorescent carbon dots (surface-passivated carbon nanoparticles) are developed as an alternative to classical semiconductor quantum dots. Gel column chromatography afforded carbon dots with emission yields close to 60 %. Their optical properties resemble band-gap transitions found in nanoscale semiconductors, thus suggesting that nanoscale carbon particles acquire essentially semiconductorlike characteristics.