Polyol-mediated synthesis of nitrogen-containing carbon-dots from tetracyanobenzene with intense red fluorescence

Nitrogen-containing C-dots were prepared by heating (160 °C, 1 h) 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene (TCB) in polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400). The as-prepared monocrystalline C-dots were 2–4 nm in diameter and contained 24.4 wt. % of nitrogen. They showed intense fluorescence under excitation at 400–500 nm as well as under excitation at 600–700 nm. In addition to an excitation-wavelength-depending emission at 400 to 650 nm, the emission spectra exhibited a strong emission peaking at 715 nm, whose position was independent from the wavelength of excitation. For this deep-red emission a remarkable quantum yield of 69% was detected. The synthesis of nitrogen-containing C-dotswas completely performed in the liquid phase. Moreover, the C-dots could be directly dispersed in water. The resulting aqueous suspensions of PEG400-stabilized nitrogen-containing C-dots also showed intense red emission that was visible to the naked eye.