High Quantum Yield Amino Acid Carbon Quantum Dots with Unparalleled Refractive Index

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are one of the most promising types of fluorescent nanomaterials due to their exceptional water solubility, excellent optical properties, biocompatibility, chemical inertness, excellent refractive index, and photostability. Nitrogen-containing CQDs, which include amino acid based CQDs, are especially attractive due to their high quantum yield, thermal stability, and potential biomedical applications. Recent studies have attempted to improve the preparation of amino acid based CQDs. However, the highest quantum yield obtained for these dots was only 44%. Furthermore, the refractive indices of amino acid derived CQDs were not determined. Here, we systematically explored the performance…

• TA
  Tel Aviv University