I was supposed to obtain carbon dots from Ammonium citrate dibasic as following:
1) 11.5g of Ammonium citrate dibasic + DI water
2) Stirring
3) Dilute the solution till 50ml and mixing for being homogeneous
4) put the sample in the oven for 3 hours at 180C.
After cooling and reach to RT, twice centrifuging with DI water and even ethanol with 8000rpm for 10 mins, I did not obtain any carbon dots when I tested the solution with the laser (Tyndall Effect)! I even tested the sample after 2 days and the result was the same... .
I would appreciate you if you know any information and guide me.
Thanks.
Dear Hedieh,
The method you described for preparing carbon dots from ammonium citrate dibasic using an oven is commonly used. Still, it's important to note that the success of the synthesis can depend on many factors, such as the quality of the reagents, the oven temperature, and the stirring speed.
Based on your information, it's possible that the ammonium citrate dibasic you used was not of high quality or the oven temperature was too low. The temperature used for the carbon-dots synthesis is essential; 180c is at the low end of the range for this method and might not be sufficient to initiate the thermal decomposition of the ammonium citrate dibasic; you may want to try increasing the temperature to 200C - 250C.
Also, it's essential to ensure that the solution is homogeneous and well-stirred before heating and that the heating time is sufficient. The stirring speed is also necessary; using a magnetic stirrer is recommended to ensure the solution is well-mixed.
Another thing to consider is the centrifugation step; if you didn't centrifuge the solution enough or at high enough speeds, the carbon dots might not have been separated from the solution. It is recommended to centrifuge the solution for longer or at higher rates, like 15-20 min at 10,000-15,000 rpm.
Finally, it's important to note that carbon dots synthesis is a complex process, and it might require some optimization; you may want to try different variations of the method, like different stirring speeds, heating times, or centrifugation speeds, and also you might want to try other precursors like glucose, citric acid, or sucrose.
It's also essential to consult with experts in the field or consult the literature to have more information about the recent developments in the area.
I hope I was able to answer your question.
Yours sincerely,
Edgar M Cambaza
Dear Edgar Manuel Cambaza,
Thank you so much for answering my question, I will change my precursor...
Sincerely,
Hedieh Tabatabaei
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