Facile Synthesis of Fluorescent Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Quantum Dots Using Scindapsus as a Carbon Source

A green method is used to synthesize nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) using dried scindapsus leaves as the carbon source. The average diameter of the N-CQDs varies from 2 to 6 nm. The N-CQDs emit blue light, and the emission wavelength exhibits excitation wavelength dependence. The characteristic peak is found to originate from a N-related state. The surface defects and quantum effects of the CQDs play a strong role in the luminescence process and resulted in the excitation wavelength dependence of the photoluminescence, which is confirmed by changing the solvent to ethanol. This work can encourage the exploration of new carbon sources to synthesize doped CQDs and stimulate investigation of the photoluminescence mechanism of CQDs.