Click multiwalled carbon nanotubes: A novel method for preparation of carboxyl groups functionalized carbon quantum dots

Abstract As potential alternatives to conventional semiconductor quantum dots, fluorescent carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have received increasing research attention in biomedical fields owing to their splendid advantages of low cytotoxicity, strong fluorescence and excellent water dispersion. However, the preparation procedures of CQDs with designable chemical properties and functions are complicated and low efficient. In this work, we developed a facile, economical and straightforward strategy to prepare CQDs by a one-step thiol-ene click reaction between multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and thiomalic acid (TA). The successful synthesis of CQDs was confirmed by a series of characterization data. The results manifested that CQDs were well combined with TA through surface thiol-ene click chemistry. In addition, the optical property is also desirable, the maximum emission wavelength was located in 500 nm and CQDs still could emit strong blue fluorescent light after irradiation with UV irradiation for 3 h. Besides, the pH value makes no significant changes for fluorescence emission wavelength of CQDs and CQDs can emit strongest fluorescence in weak acid solution. Furthermore, CQDs could be internalized by cells and show great cell dyeing performance and low cytotoxicity. All these features imply that TA functionalized CQDs possess great potential for biological imaging. The one-step thiol-ene click strategy provided a novel tool to prepare functionalized CQDs with great potential for biomedical applications.