Gram-scale synthesis of single-crystalline graphene quantum dots derived from lignin biomass

Abstract

A gram-scale, low-cost and sustainable synthesis of single-crystalline graphene quantum dots derived from biomass waste.

Biomass‐Derived Carbon Dots and Their Applications

“…Compared with bamboo leaves, the quantum yield of BCDs prepared from ginkgo biloba leaves as carbon source has been greatly improved. In plants, besides bamboo leaves and ginkgo leaves, aloe, lignin biomass, and willow bark are also used as biomass carbon sources to prepare BCDs. The size distribution of BCDs was uniform, and the quantum yield of BCDs prepared with lignin biomass as carbon source was up to 21%.…”

“…In plants, besides bamboo leaves and ginkgo leaves, aloe, lignin biomass, and willow bark are also used as biomass carbon sources to prepare BCDs. The size distribution of BCDs was uniform, and the quantum yield of BCDs prepared with lignin biomass as carbon source was up to 21%. In order to further improve the quantum yield, a simple and economical method was used to prepare BCDs by using gelatin and cocoon silk as carbon sources.…”

Sustainable Synthesis of Bright Green Fluorescent Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Quantum Dots from Alkali Lignin

“…It has a high carbon content and abundant chemical energy and is widely present in gymnosperms, angiosperms, and all vascular plants, whereas industrial biomass lignin mainly includes lignosulfonate, sulfate lignin, and alkali lignin . As an alternative precursor, lignin has been converted to high‐valuable nanoscale fluorescent materials in previous work . For example, Rodríguez‐Padrón et al .…”

“…Compared with these carbon‐based materials, biomass wastes are renewable, cheap, C‐rich sources that can be classed as “green” because they aid in environmental protection . Although these methods are facile and easy to manipulate, there are still several issues that need to be solved, including the difficulty in accurately controlling the morphology, size, and defects of CQDs, weak visible absorption, and low fluorescence quantum yields (QYs) …”

“…This route can produce CQDs from small organic molecules through gradual chemical synthesis, pyrolysis, or carbonization . Currently, organic molecules are generally regarded as the most reliable precursors for the formation of high‐quality CQDs . However, most organic molecules are still expensive and pose challenges to the natural environment and human health: for instance, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are strong carcinogens, and thus searching for low‐cost and environmentally friendly molecule precursors could boost their abundant applications .…”