Hydrothermal synthesis of intrinsic carbon dots with tunable emission for fluorescent inks and variegated bioimaging applications

IF 5.2 2区化学 Q2 CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL

Journal of Molecular Liquids Pub Date : 2025-09-25 DOI:10.1016/j.molliq.2025.128592

Bavya Devi Karuppasamy , Suguna Perumal , Raji Atchudan , Ashok K. Sundramoorthy , Srinivasan Ramalingam , Devaraj Manoj , Sambasivam Sangaraju , Thomas Nesakumar Jebakumar Immanuel Edison , Seung Woo Lee , Yong Rok Lee

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The current study presents the eco-friendly synthesis, detailed characterization, and versatile applications of hydrophilic wood sorrel carbon dots (WSCDs) via a one-step hydrothermal-assisted carbonization method. This simple and scalable approach involves direct carbonization of wood sorrel as a natural precursor, yielding WSCDs with a uniform spherical morphology and narrow size distribution (2.5–6.0 nm, predominantly 4.5 nm), confirmed through high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Elemental analysis (Energy-Dispersive X-ray and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)) reveals a homogeneous distribution of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, while X-ray diffraction analysis (dominant peak at 23°) and Raman spectroscopy confirm a high degree of graphitization with a d-spacing of 0.21 nm. Functional groups such as hydroxyl, carboxyl, and carbonyl, contributing to hydrophilicity and versatile reactivity, were identified via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and XPS. Optical characterization demonstrates strong ultraviolet absorption (peaks at 245, 278, and 317 nm) and tunable fluorescence emission with excitation-dependent behavior, exhibiting remarkable photostability over 180 days and under ultraviolet irradiation. Biocompatibility studies indicate that WSCDs are non-toxic, as validated by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays in Clone 9 hepatocyte and HCT-116 cells, with effective cellular internalization observed through confocal fluorescence microscopy. The practical application of WSCDs as fluorescent inks shows excellent performance, retaining clarity and fluorescence over extended periods, making them ideal for security printing and artistic purposes. This study emphasizes the potential of WSCDs as multifunctional materials for ecological inks and advanced imaging, highlighting their sustainable synthesis and broad industrial applicability.

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水热合成具有可调发射特性的本征碳点，用于荧光油墨和多样化的生物成像

本研究通过一步水热辅助炭化方法，对亲水酢浆草碳点（WSCDs）进行了生态友好的合成、详细的表征和广泛的应用。这种简单且可扩展的方法包括将木酢浆草作为天然前体直接碳化，产生具有均匀球形形态和窄尺寸分布（2.5-6.0 nm，主要是4.5 nm）的wscd，通过高分辨率透射电子显微镜证实。元素分析（能量色散x射线和x射线光电子能谱（XPS））显示碳、氮和氧均匀分布，而x射线衍射分析（优势峰在23°）和拉曼光谱证实石墨化程度高，d-间距为0.21 nm。通过傅里叶变换红外光谱和XPS鉴定了羟基、羧基和羰基等具有亲水性和多用途反应性的官能团。光学表征显示出强烈的紫外吸收（峰在245、278和317 nm）和可调的荧光发射，具有依赖于激发的行为，在紫外线照射下，在180天内表现出显著的光稳定性。生物相容性研究表明，WSCDs是无毒的，3-（4,5-二甲基噻唑-2-基）-2,5-二苯基溴化四唑（MTT）试验在克隆9号肝细胞和HCT-116细胞中证实了这一点，并通过共聚焦荧光显微镜观察到有效的细胞内化。wscd作为荧光油墨的实际应用显示出优异的性能，在较长时间内保持清晰度和荧光，使其成为安全印刷和艺术目的的理想选择。本研究强调了wscd作为生态油墨和先进成像的多功能材料的潜力，强调了其可持续合成和广泛的工业适用性。

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来源期刊

Journal of Molecular Liquids 化学-物理：原子、分子和化学物理

CiteScore

10.30

自引率

16.70%

发文量

2597

审稿时长

78 days

期刊介绍： The journal includes papers in the following areas: – Simple organic liquids and mixtures – Ionic liquids – Surfactant solutions (including micelles and vesicles) and liquid interfaces – Colloidal solutions and nanoparticles – Thermotropic and lyotropic liquid crystals – Ferrofluids – Water, aqueous solutions and other hydrogen-bonded liquids – Lubricants, polymer solutions and melts – Molten metals and salts – Phase transitions and critical phenomena in liquids and confined fluids – Self assembly in complex liquids.– Biomolecules in solution The emphasis is on the molecular (or microscopic) understanding of particular liquids or liquid systems, especially concerning structure, dynamics and intermolecular forces. The experimental techniques used may include: – Conventional spectroscopy (mid-IR and far-IR, Raman, NMR, etc.) – Non-linear optics and time resolved spectroscopy (psec, fsec, asec, ISRS, etc.) – Light scattering (Rayleigh, Brillouin, PCS, etc.) – Dielectric relaxation – X-ray and neutron scattering and diffraction. Experimental studies, computer simulations (MD or MC) and analytical theory will be considered for publication; papers just reporting experimental results that do not contribute to the understanding of the fundamentals of molecular and ionic liquids will not be accepted. Only papers of a non-routine nature and advancing the field will be considered for publication.