Colour-tuneable hydrophobic carbon dot aggregates for LEDs applications

Abstract

Solid-state fluorescent carbon dot (CD) aggregates were synthesized by the reaction of 2,2′-dithiosalicylic acid with adenine/4-amino benzene thiol using solvothermal and precipitation methods. Blue-emissive OD and GD CDs were transformed into the orange- and green-emissive solid-state CD aggregates ODA and GDA upon treatment with water, respectively. This water-triggered aggregation-induced emission was responsible for the switching of the emission from blue to orange/green. Interestingly, ODA and GDA revealed reversible emission upon solid-liquid-solid switching. Contact-angle measurements suggested the hydrophobic nature of ODA and GDA. ODA and GDA were utilized to fabricate a fluorescent polymeric cover of a light-emitting diode. © 2025 The Royal Society of Chemistry.