Optimizing the optoelectronic characteristics of low-dimensional carbon dots (CDs) through surface modifications and doping has proven instrumental in tailoring them for diverse applications. This study explores a facile and economical hydrothermal synthesis method for generating Carbonized Polymer Dots using o-phenylenediamine at different temperatures. The resulting materials exhibit structural and morphological variations linked to the synthesis temperature. A transition from carbon dots (CDs) embedded in reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-like sheet structures at low temperatures to the core-shell structure at the highest temperature is observed in HR-TEM, implying the formation of CPDs. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) corroborates these findings, showing an augmented degree of graphitization in alignment with HR-TEM results. The photoluminescence spectra of CPDs synthesized at the lowest temperature exhibit multiple emission peaks, resulting in a yellowish-orange color. Utilizing these CPDs to fabricate light-emitting diodes (LEDs) produces a vivid bright-green emission with CIE coordinates (0.378, 0.522). Moreover, the CPDs demonstrate solvatochromism across diverse solvents of varying polarity, covering the entire visible spectrum. This intriguing solvatochromic effect positions the CPDs as promising materials for polarity probing applications.
Keywords: Carbonized polymer dots; Fluorescence; Multi-emission; Solvatochromic effect.
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