Fast Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Green-Fluorescent Carbon Nanodots from Sugarcane Syrup

A process for producing fluorescent Carbon Nanodots from sugarcane syrup is reported. The syrup is processed in a domestic microwave oven for 1.5 min, filtered and centrifuged, resulting in an orange stable suspension of nanoparticles capable of emitting visible (green) fluorescence when irradiated by ultraviolet (254 nm). The particles present dimensions ranging from 2 to 6 nm with distribution centered at ~5 nm, and maximum fluorescence intensity at 448 nm (violet) when excited at 360 nm. This work presents a green, fast and low-cost methodology for the obtention of luminescent carbon nanoparticles, with potential applications on optoelectronics, biomedicine, photocatalysis and renewable energy sources areas.