Non-enzymatic-browning-reaction: a versatile route for production of nitrogen-doped carbon dots with tunable multicolor luminescent display.

ABSTRACT: The non-enzymatic browning, namely Maillard reaction is commonly invoked to account for abiotic chemical transformations of organic matter. Here we report a new reaction pathway via the Maillard reaction to systematically synthesize a series of nitrogen-doped carbon dots (C-dots) with superhigh quantum yield (QY) and tunable multicolor luminescent displayment. The starting materials are glucose and the serial amino acid analogues which allow systemically controlling luminescent and physicochemical properties of C-dots at will. Unexpectedly, the as-prepared C-dots possess bright photoluminescence with QY up to 69.1% which is almost the highest ever reported, favorable biocompatibility, excellent aqueous and nonaqueous dispersibility, ultrahigh photostability, and readily functionalization.

SUBMITTER: Wei W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3880965 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature