Gram-Scale Synthesis of Graphene Quantum Dots from
Single Carbon Atoms Growth via Energetic Material Deflagration
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Abstract
Graphene
quantum dots (GQDs) with quantum confinement and size
effect are proposed to be applicable in photovoltaic, nanodevices,
and so on, due to extraordinary electronic and optical properties.
Here we report a facile approach to synthesize gram-scale GQDs from
active carbon atoms, which are obtained via the deflagration reaction
of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and Si, growing from high- to low-temperature
zones when traveling through the deflagration flame in a short time
with releasing gas as the carrier medium. The prepared GQDs were aggregated
into carbon nanospheres; thus, Hummer’s method was utilized
to exfoliate the GQD aggregations into individual GQDs. We show that
the length of GQDs is ∼10 nm and the exfoliated GQDs solution
presents an obvious fluorescence effect with a strong emission peak
at 570 at 460 nm excitation. And these GQDs are demonstrated to be
excellent probes for cellular imaging. Furthermore, we propose a growth
mechanism based on computer simulation, which is well verified by
experimental reproduction. Our study opens up a promising route for
high-yield and high-quality GQDs, as well as other various quantum
dots