Multifunctional N doped carbon dots for cellular sensing, light-emitting-diode, and additive manufacturing

Carbon dots (CDs) have gained tremendous attention over a wide range from fluorescence sensors to optoelectronic devices. Herein, N-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) of 2.3 nm were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method through Tryptamine and Citric Acid. The N-CDs were highly selective to Fe3+ because of electron transfer. On the other hand, it could be applied for Fe3+ bioimaging in Hela cells due to good biocompatibility. In addition, a blue light-emitting-diode (LED) was fabricated by mixing siloxane with N-CDs. Furthermore, a shiny-three-dimensional grid structure was successfully prepared by direct writing technology. This study provides a novel idea for the potential applications of CDs.

Automated summary

This study successfully synthesized N-doped carbon dots and investigated their applications in Fe3+ sensing and bioimaging. In addition, a blue light-emitting-diode and a shiny-three-dimensional grid structure were fabricated using N-CDs, offering new ideas for the potential applications of carbon dots.