Controlling the fluorescence and room-temperature phosphorescence behaviour of carbon nanodots with inorganic crystalline nanocomposites

There is a significant drive to identify alternative materials that exhibit room temperature phosphorescence for technologies including bio-imaging, photodynamic therapy and organic light-emitting diodes. Ideally, these materials should be non-toxic and cheap, and it will be possible to control their photoluminescent properties. This was achieved here by embedding carbon nanodots within crystalline particles of alkaline earth carbonates, sulphates and oxalates. The resultant nanocomposites are luminescent and exhibit a bright, sub-second lifetime afterglow. Importantly, the excited state lifetimes, and steady-state and afterglow colours can all be systematically controlled by varying the cations and anions in the host inorganic phase, due to the influence of the cation size and material density on emissive and non-emissive electronic transitions. This simple strategy provides a flexible route for generating materials with specific, phosphorescent properties and is an exciting alternative to approaches relying on the synthesis of custom-made luminescent organic molecules.