Synthesis of fluorescent carbon dots from one-step pyrolysis of frontal-polymerized poly(acrylamide-co-4-vinylpyridine)

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Materials science & processing, 2014-11, Vol.117 (3), p.1583-1588
• Main Authors: Chen, Qiao-Ling, Tang, Wen-Qi, Wang, Cai-Feng, Chen, Su
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; Crystal structure; Machines; Manufacturing; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Optical properties; Photoluminescence; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Polymers; Processes; Pyrolysis; Surfaces and Interfaces; Synthesis; Thin Films
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-014-8598-6

We report herein the synthesis of carbon dots (CDs) by a one-step pyrolysis from poly(acrylamide- co -4-vinylpyridine) [poly(AAM- co -4-VP)]. The poly(AAM- co -4-VP) was fabricated using frontal polymerization within 5 min in an easy and rapid way and then was pyrolyzed to afford CDs. The as-prepared CDs show crystalline structure and excellent dispersibility with particle sizes in the range of 2–4 nm. The optical properties were throughly investigated, and we found the CDs exhibit strong blue fluorescence with quantum yield of ~18 % and excellent photoluminescent stability, which is rarely influenced by the external conditions. This process can be exploited as an effective path for synthesis CDs with polymers by a facile and rapid way.