Innovative Bi-functional carbon materials synthesis and characterization from hulls and zest of sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich) for possible biomedical applications

This work aims the synthesis of sclerocarya pseudo-carbon quantum dots (CDP) and sclerocarya micro-carbon quantum dots (CDC) from the fruits of sclerocarya birrea (SB). It represents a good recovery route. The methodology carried out consists of a method of synthesis by solvothermal carbonization under domestic microwave irradiation of peel and shell powders, activated in an acid medium and functionalized by a solution of sorghum bicolor stem ash concentrate (CSB). The various characterizations, such as XRD diffractograms, show semi-crystalline structures with a crystallinity rate of 70.43 % and mean sizes of 149.25 nm (CDP) and 5.51 μm for CDC (40.67 %). The EDX spectra reveal that the solids are made up of the elements C, O, P, Ca and Si, but the latter element is absent in CDC; the Boehm, pH_PCN and pH_eq methods showed the basic nature of the materials, as demonstrated by the FTIR spectra, which show C-O-C, C=O, C=C, C-H, O-H, P-O and Ca-O functions, with the exception of CDP, which has Si-O. The quantum yields were 15.8 % (CDP) and 9 % (CDC) and good thermal stability of CDC and CDP. The XTT test results highlighted the absence of cytotoxicity of the synthesized innovative materials as well as their biocompatibility. These results provide ample evidence that they are promising for biomedical use as cell markers, diagnostics or theragnostic.