Fabrication of a nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dot from MOF-derived porous carbon and its application for highly selective fluorescence detection of Fe3+

Nitrogen doping of carbon quantum dots results in improved fluorescence performance and a wider range of applications in photocatalysis, sensors, bioimaging, etc. Herein, a water-soluble and well-crystallized nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dot (N-GQD) has been obtained by using a MOF-derived carbon (ZIF-8C) as a new source of graphitic sheets. The preparation is based on a rapid, eco-friendly and efficient acid vapour cutting strategy, which is different from previously reported solution chemistry routes. The as-prepared N-GQD is photoluminescent and exhibits an excitation-independent behaviour. Because of the presence of O-functional groups on the surface, the obtained N-GQD can serve as a fluorescent sensing probe for highly selective detection of Fe3+ ions with a detection limit of 0.08 μM (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3). This work would enable new opportunities for the wider use of MOF-based materials and also contribute to the fluorescent analysis of Fe3+.

[1]  Jiaxing Li,et al.  Polymer nanodots of graphitic carbon nitride as effective fluorescent probes for the detection of Fe³⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions. , 2014, Nanoscale.

[2]  Xingyuan Liu,et al.  Ratiometric fluorescent nanosensor based on water soluble carbon nanodots with multiple sensing capacities. , 2013, Nanoscale.

[3]  John F. Callan,et al.  Iron(III) selective molecular and supramolecular fluorescent probes. , 2012, Chemical Society reviews.

[4]  Xingyu Jiang,et al.  Hydrothermal synthesis of highly fluorescent carbon nanoparticles from sodium citrate and their use for the detection of mercury ions , 2013 .

[5]  Xi Chen,et al.  Determination of iron(III) based on the fluorescence quenching of rhodamine B derivative. , 2013, Talanta.

[6]  L. Dai,et al.  Nitrogen-doped colloidal graphene quantum dots and their size-dependent electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction. , 2012, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[7]  Liangti Qu,et al.  Nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots with oxygen-rich functional groups. , 2012, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[8]  Xiaogang Qu,et al.  Carbon dots prepared by hydrothermal treatment of dopamine as an effective fluorescent sensing platform for the label-free detection of iron(III) ions and dopamine. , 2013, Chemistry.

[9]  Jun‐Jie Zhu,et al.  Fabrication of Graphene–Quantum Dots Composites for Sensitive Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence Immunosensing , 2011 .

[10]  Qian Liu,et al.  Strong two-photon-induced fluorescence from photostable, biocompatible nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots for cellular and deep-tissue imaging. , 2013, Nano letters.

[11]  Xuexiang Weng,et al.  Hybrid carbon source for producing nitrogen-doped polymer nanodots: one-pot hydrothermal synthesis, fluorescence enhancement and highly selective detection of Fe(III). , 2013, Nanoscale.

[12]  Yong‐Lai Zhang,et al.  Graphitic carbon quantum dots as a fluorescent sensing platform for highly efficient detection of Fe3+ ions , 2013 .

[13]  Hui‐Ming Cheng,et al.  Synthesis and upconversion luminescence of N-doped graphene quantum dots , 2012 .

[14]  Bai Yang,et al.  Surface Chemistry Routes to Modulate the Photoluminescence of Graphene Quantum Dots: From Fluorescence Mechanism to Up‐Conversion Bioimaging Applications , 2012 .

[15]  Y. Liu,et al.  Graphene quantum dot hybrids as efficient metal-free electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction. , 2013, ACS applied materials & interfaces.

[16]  K. Müllen,et al.  Bottom-up fabrication of photoluminescent graphene quantum dots with uniform morphology. , 2011, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[17]  Katsuhiko Ariga,et al.  Direct carbonization of Al-based porous coordination polymer for synthesis of nanoporous carbon. , 2012, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[18]  Wei Gan,et al.  Simultaneous detection of Cd(II) and Pb(II) by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry at a nitrogen-doped microporous carbon/Nafion/bismuth-film electrode , 2014 .

[19]  Peng Chen,et al.  Facile Synthesis of Graphene Quantum Dots from 3D Graphene and their Application for Fe3+ Sensing , 2014 .

[20]  Jianrong Chen,et al.  Nanosized N-doped graphene oxide with visible fluorescence in water for metal ion sensing , 2011 .

[21]  Wei Chen,et al.  Synthesis of highly fluorescent nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots for sensitive, label-free detection of Fe (III) in aqueous media. , 2014, Biosensors & bioelectronics.

[22]  T. Yu,et al.  Etching single-wall carbon nanotubes into green and yellow single-layer graphene quantum dots , 2013 .

[23]  Hongxing Xu,et al.  Aqueous‐Processable Noncovalent Chemically Converted Graphene–Quantum Dot Composites for Flexible and Transparent Optoelectronic Films , 2010, Advanced materials.

[24]  Wei Chen,et al.  Nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots: facile synthesis and application as a "turn-off" fluorescent probe for detection of Hg2+ ions. , 2014, Biosensors & bioelectronics.

[25]  D. Zhao,et al.  Simple and green synthesis of nitrogen-doped photoluminescent carbonaceous nanospheres for bioimaging. , 2013, Angewandte Chemie.

[26]  Jianrong Chen,et al.  Multicolour fluorescent graphene oxide by cutting carbon nanotubes upon oxidation , 2012 .

[27]  Y. Zhang,et al.  N-doped graphene quantum dots as an effective photocatalyst for the photochemical synthesis of silver deposited porous graphitic C3N4 nanocomposites for nonenzymatic electrochemical H2O2 sensing , 2014 .

[28]  Yuichiro Kamachi,et al.  Facile synthesis of nanoporous carbons with controlled particle sizes by direct carbonization of monodispersed ZIF-8 crystals. , 2013, Chemical communications.

[29]  Jianhua Hao,et al.  Deep ultraviolet photoluminescence of water-soluble self-passivated graphene quantum dots. , 2012, ACS nano.

[30]  Mingwang Shao,et al.  Upconversion and downconversion fluorescent graphene quantum dots: ultrasonic preparation and photocatalysis. , 2012, ACS nano.

[31]  P. Li,et al.  A simple, selective, fluorescent iron(III) sensing material based on peripheral carbazole , 2014 .

[32]  Na Li,et al.  The electron-transfer based interaction between transition metal ions and photoluminescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs): a platform for metal ion sensing. , 2013, Talanta.

[33]  Yingqiang Wu,et al.  Steaming multiwalled carbon nanotubes via acid vapour for controllable nanoengineering and the fabrication of carbon nanoflutes. , 2011, Chemical communications.

[34]  F. Jaouen,et al.  Metal organic frameworks for electrochemical applications , 2012 .

[35]  J. Ho,et al.  DOPA-mediated reduction allows the facile synthesis of fluorescent gold nanoclusters for use as sensing probes for ferric ions. , 2012, Analytical chemistry.

[36]  Wei Liu,et al.  Simultaneous electrochemical detection of ascorbic acid, dopamine and uric acid based on nitrogen doped porous carbon nanopolyhedra. , 2013, Journal of materials chemistry. B.

[37]  Michael O’Keeffe,et al.  The Chemistry and Applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks , 2013, Science.

[38]  Lufeng Yang,et al.  One-step preparation of nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots from oxidized debris of graphene oxide. , 2013, Journal of materials chemistry. B.

[39]  L. Qu,et al.  Graphene quantum dots: an emerging material for energy-related applications and beyond , 2012 .

[40]  Ying Fu,et al.  Facile synthesis of water-soluble, highly fluorescent graphene quantum dots as a robust biological label for stem cells , 2012 .

[41]  Chang Ming Li,et al.  One-step and high yield simultaneous preparation of single- and multi-layer graphene quantum dots from CX-72 carbon black , 2012 .

[42]  Li Xueming,et al.  Energy-level structure of nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots , 2013 .

[43]  Lei Wang,et al.  Chemically tailoring graphene oxides into fluorescent nanosheets for Fe3+ ion detection , 2012 .

[44]  Daming Zhang,et al.  One-step synthesis of nitrogen-doped microporous carbon materials as metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction , 2014 .

[45]  Xiu‐Ping Yan,et al.  Fluorescent metal-organic framework MIL-53(Al) for highly selective and sensitive detection of Fe3+ in aqueous solution. , 2013, Analytical chemistry.

[46]  Minghong Wu,et al.  Hydrothermal Route for Cutting Graphene Sheets into Blue‐Luminescent Graphene Quantum Dots , 2010, Advanced materials.

[47]  B. K. Gupta,et al.  Graphene quantum dots derived from carbon fibers. , 2012, Nano letters.

[48]  C. Dong,et al.  Glutathione capped silver nanoclusters-based fluorescent probe for highly sensitive detection of Fe3+ , 2014 .

[49]  Jun Liu,et al.  Nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon for energy storage in vanadium redox flow batteries , 2010 .