Highly fluorescent Zn-doped carbon dots as Fenton reaction-based bio-sensors: an integrative experimental-theoretical consideration.

Heteroatom doped carbon dots (CDs), with high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY), are of keen interest in various applications such as chemical sensors, bio-imaging, electronics, and photovoltaics. Zinc, an important element assisting the electron-transfer process and an essential trace element for cells, is a promising metal dopant for CDs, which could potentially lead to multifunctional CDs. In this contribution, we report a single-step, high efficiency, hydrothermal method to synthesize Zn-doped carbon dots (Zn-CDs) with a superior PLQY. The PLQY and luminescence characteristic of Zn-CDs can be tuned by controlling the precursor ratio, and the surface oxidation in the CDs. Though a few studies have reported metal doped CDs with good PLQY, the as prepared Zn-Cds in the present method exhibited a PLQY up to 32.3%. To the best of our knowledge, there is no report regarding the facile preparation of single metal-doped CDs with a QY more than 30%. Another unique attribute of the Zn-CDs is the high monodispersity and the resultant highly robust excitation-independent luminescence that is stable over a broad range of pH values. Spectroscopic investigations indicated that the superior PLQY and luminescence of Zn-CDs are due to the heteroatom directed, oxidized carbon-based surface passivation. Furthermore, we developed a novel and sensitive biosensor for the detection of hydrogen peroxide and glucose leveraging the robust fluorescence properties of Zn-CDs. Under optimal conditions, Zn-CDs demonstrated high sensitivity and response to hydrogen peroxide and glucose over a wide range of concentrations, with a linear range of 10-80 µM and 5-100 µM, respectively, indicating their great potential as a fluorescent probe for chemical sensing.

Biomimetic self-cleaning surfaces: synthesis, mechanism and applications.

With millions of years of natural evolution, organisms have achieved sophisticated structures, patterns or textures with complex, spontaneous multifunctionality. Among all the fascinating characteristics observed in biosystems, self-cleaning ability is regarded as one of the most interesting topics in biomimicry because of its potential applications in various fields such as aerospace, energy conversion and biomedical and environmental protection. Recently, in-depth studies have been carried out on various compelling biostructures including lotus leaves, shark skins, butterfly wings and gecko feet. To understand and mimic their self-cleaning mechanisms in artificial structures, in this article, recent progress in self-cleaning techniques is discussed and summarized. Based on the underlying self-cleaning mechanisms, the methods are classified into two categories: self-cleaning with water and without water. The review gives a succinct account of the detailed mechanisms and biomimetic processes applied to create artificial self-cleaning materials and surfaces, and provides some examples of cutting-edge applications such as anti-reflection, water repellence, self-healing, anti-fogging and micro-manipulators. The prospectives and directions of future development are also briefly proposed.

Immobilized graphene-based composite from asphalt: facile synthesis and application in water purification.

An in situ strategy for the preparation of graphene immobilized on sand using asphalt, a cheap carbon precursor is presented. The as-synthesized material was characterized in detail using various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The presence of G and D bands at 1578 cm(-1) and 1345 cm(-1) in Raman spectroscopy and the 2D sheet-like structure with wrinkles in transmission electron microscopy confirmed the formation of graphenic materials. In view of the potential applicability of supported graphenic materials in environmental application, the as-synthesized material was tested for purifying water. Removal of a dye (rhodamine-6G) and a pesticide (chlorpyrifos), two of the important types of pollutants of concern in water, were investigated in this study. Adsorption studies were conducted in batch mode as a function of time, particle size, and adsorbent dose. The continuous mode experiments were conducted in multiple cycles and they confirmed that the material can be used for water purification applications. The adsorption efficacy of the present adsorbent system was compared to other reported similar adsorbent systems and the results illustrated that the present materials are superior. The adsorbents were analyzed for post treatment and their reusability was evaluated.

Graphene from sugar and its application in water purification.

This paper describes a green method for the synthesis of graphenic material from cane sugar, a common disaccharide. A suitable methodology was introduced to immobilize this material on sand without the need of any binder, resulting in a composite, referred to as graphene sand composite (GSC). Raman spectroscopy confirmed that the material is indeed graphenic in nature, having G and D bands at 1597 and 1338 cm(-1), respectively. It effectively removes contaminants from water. Here, we use rhodamine 6G (R6G) as a model dye and chloropyrifos (CP) as a model pesticide to demonstrate this application. The spectroscopic and microscopic analyses coupled with adsorption experiments revealed that physical adsorption plays a dominant role in the adsorption process. Isotherm data in batch experiments show an adsorption capacity of 55 mg/g for R6G and 48 mg/g for CP, which are superior to that of activated carbon. The adsorbent can be easily regenerated using a suitable eluent. This quick and cost-effective technique for the into a commercial water filter with appropriate engineering.