A novel solvothermal approach to synthesize fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) was developed using glucose and ammonium oxalate as the carbon source, and glycol as the solvent. The solution of as-prepared CNPs emitted blue-green fluorescence under ultraviolet (UV) light at 365 nm, and the carbon nanoparticle formation was investigated through XRD, TEM, DLS, FT-IR, UV, PL, XPS. The particle was well dispersed with an average diameter of about 10-30 nm. In contrast with previous methods, in this synthesis process neither strong acid treatment nor further surface modification was necessary. The solution of as-prepared CNPs were applied to photocatalytic degradation of mountain green in the present H2 O2 , and the decolorization rate was over 97% when the reaction time was more than 7 h under visible light. The as-prepared CNPs were also applied to electrocatalysis and showed excellent electrocatalytic activity.
Keywords: Carbon nanoparticles; Electrocatalysis; Fluorescence; Photocatalytic degradation; Solvothermal synthesis.
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