Nanofabrication and characterization of green-emitting N-doped carbon dots derived from pulp-free lemon juice extract

Abstract

In this work, highly fluorescent green-emitting N-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) were derived from pulp-free lemon juice extract, as a green precursor, through a one-pot carbonization at 180 oC for 3 to 5 h. The newly fabricated N-CDs were thoroughly characterized using different imaging and analytical techniques, including Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The preliminary evaluation showed that N-CDs synthesized at 180 ºC for 3 and 5 hours emit bright green light under UV or blue light irradiation with a quantum yield of 16.33% and 21.80%, respectively. The fluorescence spectroscopic profiles revealed that as-developed N-CDs exhibit excitation-independent photoluminescence (PL) emission at 365 nm. FTIR profile reveals the functional group entities with evident peaks in 3190 cm−1, 1660 cm−1, 1580 cm−1, 1405 cm−1, 1365 cm−1, 1190 cm−1, and 1060 cm−1 regions, among others that correspond to the presence of N-H, C-H, C=O and C=N, C=C, C-H, COOH, C-O-C, and C-O. SEM unveils uniform and well-crystalline morphology of N-CDs.