Chapter 2
Synthesis of Quantum Dots
When these bulk 2D materials are converted into forms with lateral dimensions generally smaller than 100 nm (typically < 10 nm), quantum dots (QDs) could be produced
resulting from the strong quantum confinement. The rising graphene quantum dots
(GQDs) and carbon dots (C-dots) have attracted considerable attention as a result
of their tremendous potentials in application of biomedicine, on account of their
small size and their excellent performance in terms of photoluminescence properties, physicochemistry, photostability, and biocompatibility. The preparation of Cdots and GQDs could be roughly divided into two categories: “top-down” method
and “bottom-up” method.
2.1 Carbonaceous Quantum Dots
The great success achieved so far in graphene materials is triggering immense enthusiasm for exploring two-dimensional (2D) layered inorganic materials such as hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), (Li et al. 2015; Lei et al. 2015; Bonaccorso et al. 2015)
transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), (Kormányos et al. 2014; Zhou et al.
2016) graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ), (Abdolmohammad-Zadeh and Rahimpour
2016; Wang et al. 2014a) germanene (Wei et al. 2013) and silicene, (Xu et al. 2018)
to meet new application requirements (Deng et al. 2016; Rao et al. 2013; Huang
et al. 2014; Miró et al. 2014; Rim et al. 2016; Wang et al. 2017). When these bulk
2D materials are converted into forms with lateral dimensions generally smaller than
100 nm (typically < 10 nm), quantum dots (QDs) could be produced resulting from
the strong quantum confinement (Buzaglo et al. 2016; Liu et al. 2013). As early
as 1988, molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) and tungsten disulfide (WS 2 ) nanoclusters with particle sizes of 10–35 Å were made via cleavage of the van der Waals
layers of 2D bulk materials through penetrating solvent molecules (Peterson et al.
1988). This stimulated researchers to explore new types of nanoclusters of graphene,
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
H. Pang et al., Synthesis of Functional Nanomaterials for Electrochemical Energy Storage,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7372-5_2
13
Synthesis of Quantum Dots
When these bulk 2D materials are converted into forms with lateral dimensions generally smaller than 100 nm (typically < 10 nm), quantum dots (QDs) could be produced
resulting from the strong quantum confinement. The rising graphene quantum dots
(GQDs) and carbon dots (C-dots) have attracted considerable attention as a result
of their tremendous potentials in application of biomedicine, on account of their
small size and their excellent performance in terms of photoluminescence properties, physicochemistry, photostability, and biocompatibility. The preparation of Cdots and GQDs could be roughly divided into two categories: “top-down” method
and “bottom-up” method.
2.1 Carbonaceous Quantum Dots
The great success achieved so far in graphene materials is triggering immense enthusiasm for exploring two-dimensional (2D) layered inorganic materials such as hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), (Li et al. 2015; Lei et al. 2015; Bonaccorso et al. 2015)
transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), (Kormányos et al. 2014; Zhou et al.
2016) graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ), (Abdolmohammad-Zadeh and Rahimpour
2016; Wang et al. 2014a) germanene (Wei et al. 2013) and silicene, (Xu et al. 2018)
to meet new application requirements (Deng et al. 2016; Rao et al. 2013; Huang
et al. 2014; Miró et al. 2014; Rim et al. 2016; Wang et al. 2017). When these bulk
2D materials are converted into forms with lateral dimensions generally smaller than
100 nm (typically < 10 nm), quantum dots (QDs) could be produced resulting from
the strong quantum confinement (Buzaglo et al. 2016; Liu et al. 2013). As early
as 1988, molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) and tungsten disulfide (WS 2 ) nanoclusters with particle sizes of 10–35 Å were made via cleavage of the van der Waals
layers of 2D bulk materials through penetrating solvent molecules (Peterson et al.
1988). This stimulated researchers to explore new types of nanoclusters of graphene,
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
H. Pang et al., Synthesis of Functional Nanomaterials for Electrochemical Energy Storage,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7372-5_2
13