Tailoring the Optoelectronic Properties of Soybean-Derived Nitrogen Self-Doped Carbon Dots through Composite Formation with KCl and Zeolite, Synthesized Using Autogenic Atmosphere Pyrolysis

Author(s)
Lagunay, Rachel Anne E
Akhetova, Banu
O'Reilly, Robert J
Balanay, Mannix P
Publication Date
2024
Abstract
<p>This article investigates the environmentally friendly synthesis and characterization of carbon dots (CDs) derived from soybean biomass, in conjunction with their composites containing potassium chloride (KCl) or zeolite. By using an environmentally sustainable synthetic approach, this study sought to unlock the potential of these materials for various applications. The physicochemical properties of the CDs and composites were comprehensively analyzed using various techniques including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. In addition, various optical properties such as UV–Vis absorption, band gap, and excitation–emission behavior were investigated. A key finding to arise from this study was that the inclusion of a doping agent such as KCl or zeolite significantly reduced the size of the resulting CDs. In this light, whereas the undoped species are associated with average sizes of 8.86 ± 0.10 nm, those doped with either zeolite or KCl were associated with average sizes of 3.09 ± 0.05 and 2.07 ± 0.05 nm, respectively. In addition, it was shown that doping with either zeolite or KCl resulted in an alteration of the elemental composition of the CDs and influenced their optical properties, especially their excitation-dependent emission. These promising results point to potential applications in environmental sensing and energy-related fields.</p>
Citation
Crystals, 14(4), p. 1-13
ISSN
2073-4352
Link
Publisher
MDPI AG
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International
Title
Tailoring the Optoelectronic Properties of Soybean-Derived Nitrogen Self-Doped Carbon Dots through Composite Formation with KCl and Zeolite, Synthesized Using Autogenic Atmosphere Pyrolysis
Type of document
Journal Article
Entity Type
Publication

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