PROCESSES FOR SYNTHESIZING FLUORESCENT CARBON NANOPARTICLES AND COMPOSITIONS AND USES THEREOF

摘要

A process for synthesizing carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) capable of photoluminescence by direct combustion (i.e., a confined combustion and/or a controlled combustion) of aromatic solvent and the compositions and uses thereof. The CNPs generally have flat, round structure with an average particle size between about 10 nm and about 60 nm, and more generally between about 30 nm and about 60 nm (typically about 50 nm). The CNPs were prepared by a confined combustion of an aromatic compound such as benzene, toluene, xylene, or a mixture thereof, in air. The resulting CNPs have strong photoluminescence. When dispersed in ethanol and excited with 325-nm wavelength, the solution of CNPs exhibited strong photoluminescence at 475 nm with 12%-13% quantum yield.