One-pot synthesis of highly fluorescent amino-functionalized graphene quantum dots for effective detection of copper ions

• Published in: Current applied physics Vol. 18; no. 11; pp. 1255 - 1260
• Main Authors: Tam, Tran Van, Choi, Won Mook
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-11-2018; 한국물리학회
• Subjects: Copper ion; Fluorescence; Graphene quantum dots; Sensor; 물리학; Fluorescence; Copper ion; Graphene quantum dots; Sensor
• ISSN: 1567-1739; 1878-1675
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cap.2018.07.002

In this work, a green and simple one-pot route was developed for the synthesis of highly fluorescent amino-functionalized graphene quantum dots (a-GQDs) via hydrothermal process without any further modification or surface passivation. We synthesized the a-GQDs using glucose as the carbon source and ammonium as a functionalizing agent without the use of a strong acid, oxidant, or other toxic chemical reagent. The as-obtained a-GQDs have a uniform size of 3–4 nm, high contents of amino groups, and show a bright green emission with high quantum yield of 32.8%. Furthermore, the a-GQDs show effective fluorescence quenching for Cu2+ ions which can serve as effective fluorescent probe for the detection of Cu2+. The fluorescent probe using the obtained a-GQDs exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity toward Cu2+ with the limit of detection as low as 5.6 nM. The mechanism of the Cu2+ induced fluorescence quenching of a-GQDs can be attributed to the electron transfer by the formation of metal complex between Cu2+ and the amino groups on the surface of a-GQDs. These results suggest great potential for the simple and green synthesis of functionalized GQDs and a practical sensing platform for Cu2+ detection in environmental and biological applications.
•Amino-functionalized graphene quantum dots (a-GQDs) were synthesized through one-pot hydrothermal process.•The obtained a-GQDs possess high contents of amino groups and excellent quantum yield of 32.8%.•Fluorescent sensor using a-GQDs exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity toward Cu2+ with detection limit of 5.6 nM.