Highly luminescent silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) were prepared via one-pot hydrothermal route. Furthermore, the optimal synthetic conditions, dependence of the emission spectrum on the excitation wavelength and fluorescent stability of SiQDs were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. SiQDs exhibited bright blue fluorescence, and photoluminescence (PL) lifetime is 10.8 ns when excited at 325 nm. The small-sized SiQDs (~3.3 nm) possessed uniform particle size, crystal lattice spacing of 0.31 nm and silicon (111), (220) crystal planes. Luminescent SiQDs/sodium alginate (SA)-carboxymethylcellulose sodium (CMC) nanocomposite bio-polymer films were successfully fabricated by incorporating SiQDs into the SA-CMC matrix. Meanwhile, SiQDs not only impart strong fluorescence to the polymer, but also make the composite films have favorable toughness.
Keywords: biopolymer; fluorescent; mechanical property; nanocomposite polymer films; silicon quantum dots.