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Cho H, Bae G, Hong BH. Engineering functionalization and properties of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with controllable synthesis for energy and display applications. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:3347-3378. [PMID: 38288500 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr05842e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Graphene quantum dots (GQDs), a new type of 0D nanomaterial, are composed of a graphene lattice with sp2 bonding carbon core and characterized by their abundant edges and wide surface area. This unique structure imparts excellent electrical properties and exceptional physicochemical adsorption capabilities to GQDs. Additionally, the reduction in dimensionality of graphene leads to an open band gap in GQDs, resulting in their unique optical properties. The functional groups and dopants in GQDs are key factors that allow the modulation of these characteristics. So, controlling the functionalization level of GQDs is crucial for understanding their characteristics and further application. This review provides an overview of the properties and structure of GQDs and summarizes recent developments in research that focus on their controllable synthesis, involving functional groups and doping. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive and focused explanation of how GQDs have been advantageously applied in recent years, particularly in the fields of energy storage devices and displays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeonwoo Cho
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
| | - Gaeun Bae
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
| | - Byung Hee Hong
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
- Graphene Research Center, Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Suwon 16229, Republic of Korea
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Milenković M, Ciasca G, Bonasera A, Scopelliti M, Marković O, Verbić T, Marković BT, Jovanović S. Blue-light-driven photoactivity of L-cysteine-modified graphene quantum dots and their antibacterial effects. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY. B, BIOLOGY 2024; 250:112818. [PMID: 38041931 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2023.112818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
The widespread abuse of traditional antibiotics has led to a global rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which give in return unprecedented health risks. Therefore, there is a large and urgent need for the development of new, smart antibacterial agents able to efficiently kill or inhibit bacterial growth. In this study, we investigated the antibacterial activity of S, N-doped Graphene Quantum Dots (GQDs) as a light-triggered antibacterial agent. Gamma irradiation was employed as a tool to achieve one-step modification of GQDs in the presence of L-cysteine amino acid as a source of heteroatoms. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and zeta potential measurements provided the necessary data to clarify the structure of modified dots and verify the introduction of both S- and N-atoms in GQDs structure, but also severe changes in the aromatic, sp2 domains. Namely, γ-irradiation caused a bonding of S atoms in 1.14 at.% mainly as thiol groups, and N in 1.81 at.% as amino groups, but sp2 contribution in GQD structure was lowered from 63.00 to 4.86 at.%, as measured in dots irradiated at a dose of 200 kGy. Fluorescence quenching measurements showed that L-cysteine-modified dots are able to bind to human serum albumin. The antibacterial activity of GQDs combined with 1 and 6 h of blue light (470 nm) irradiation was tested against 8 bacterial strains. GQD-cys-25 sample provided the best results, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) as low as 125 μg/mL against S. aureus, E. faecalis, and E. coli after only 1 h of blue light exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mila Milenković
- Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, P.O. Box 522, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Gabriele Ciasca
- Istituti Biologici - Istituto di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Aurelio Bonasera
- Department of Physics and Chemistry, Emilio Segrè, University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze 17, 90128 Palermo, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (INSTM), Palermo Research Unit, viale delle Scienze 17, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Michelangelo Scopelliti
- Department of Physics and Chemistry, Emilio Segrè, University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze 17, 90128 Palermo, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (INSTM), Palermo Research Unit, viale delle Scienze 17, 90128 Palermo, Italy; Laboratorio Superfici, Film Sottili e Dispositivi, ATeN Center, University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze 18/A, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Olivera Marković
- University of Belgrade, Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy, Department of Chemistry, Njegoševa 12, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Tatjana Verbić
- University of Belgrade, Faculty of Chemistry, Studentski trg 12-16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Biljana Todorović Marković
- Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, P.O. Box 522, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Svetlana Jovanović
- Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, P.O. Box 522, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
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Mombrú D, Romero M, Faccio R, Mombrú ÁW. Roles of amorphous and crystalline regions in determining the optical and electronic properties of donor:acceptor systems comprising poly(3-hexylthiophene) embedded with nitrogen/sulfur-doped graphene quantum dots. Polym J 2022. [DOI: 10.1038/s41428-022-00694-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Muchuweni E, Mombeshora ET, Martincigh BS, Nyamori VO. Recent Applications of Carbon Nanotubes in Organic Solar Cells. Front Chem 2022; 9:733552. [PMID: 35071180 PMCID: PMC8770437 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.733552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, carbon-based materials, particularly carbon nanotubes (CNTs), have gained intensive research attention in the fabrication of organic solar cells (OSCs) due to their outstanding physicochemical properties, low-cost, environmental friendliness and the natural abundance of carbon. In this regard, the low sheet resistance and high optical transmittance of CNTs enables their application as alternative anodes to the widely used indium tin oxide (ITO), which is toxic, expensive and scarce. Also, the synergy between the large specific surface area and high electrical conductivity of CNTs provides both large donor-acceptor interfaces and conductive interpenetrating networks for exciton dissociation and charge carrier transport. Furthermore, the facile tunability of the energy levels of CNTs provides proper energy level alignment between the active layer and electrodes for effective extraction and transportation of charge carriers. In addition, the hydrophobic nature and high thermal conductivity of CNTs enables them to form protective layers that improve the moisture and thermal stability of OSCs, thereby prolonging the devices' lifetime. Recently, the introduction of CNTs into OSCs produced a substantial increase in efficiency from ∼0.68 to above 14.00%. Thus, further optimization of the optoelectronic properties of CNTs can conceivably help OSCs to compete with silicon solar cells that have been commercialized. Therefore, this study presents the recent breakthroughs in efficiency and stability of OSCs, achieved mainly over 2018-2021 by incorporating CNTs into electrodes, active layers and charge transport layers. The challenges, advantages and recommendations for the fabrication of low-cost, highly efficient and sustainable next-generation OSCs are also discussed, to open up avenues for commercialization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Vincent O. Nyamori
- School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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Liu H, Hussain S, Lee J, Vikraman D, Kang J. Ultrasonically Processed WSe 2 Nanosheets Blended Bulk Heterojunction Active Layer for High-Performance Polymer Solar Cells and X-ray Detectors. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 14:3206. [PMID: 34200810 PMCID: PMC8230459 DOI: 10.3390/ma14123206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D) tungsten diselenide (WSe2) has attracted considerable attention in the field of photovoltaic devices owing to its excellent structure and photoelectric properties, such as ordered 2D network structure, high electrical conductivity, and high mobility. For this test, we firstly prepared different sizes (NS1-NS3) of WSe2 nanosheets (NSs) through the ultrasonication method and characterized their structures using the field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction. Moreover, we investigated the photovoltaic performance of polymer solar cells based on 5,7-Bis(2-ethylhexyl)benzo[1,2-c:4,5-c']dithiophene-4,8-dione(PBDB-T):(6,6)-phenyl-C71 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) with different WSe2 NSs as the active layer. The fabricated PBDB-T:PCBM active layer with the addition of NS2 WSe2 NSs (1.5 wt%) exhibited an improved power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.2%, which is higher than the pure and NS1 and NS3 WSe2 blended active layer-encompassing devices. The improved PCE is attributed to the synergic enhancement of exciton dissociation and an improvement in the charge mobility through the modified active layer for polymer solar cells. Furthermore, the highest sensitivity of 2.97 mA/Gy·cm2 was achieved for the NS2 WSe2 NSs blended active layer detected by X-ray exposure over the pure polymer, and with the NS1 and NS2 WSe2 blended active layer. These results led to the use of transition metal dichalcogenide materials in polymer solar cells and X-ray detectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailiang Liu
- Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Dankook University, Yongin 16890, Korea; (H.L.); (J.L.)
| | - Sajjad Hussain
- Institute of Nano and Advanced Materials Engineering, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Korea;
| | - Jehoon Lee
- Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Dankook University, Yongin 16890, Korea; (H.L.); (J.L.)
| | - Dhanasekaran Vikraman
- Division of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Dongguk University-Seoul, Seoul 04620, Korea
| | - Jungwon Kang
- Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Dankook University, Yongin 16890, Korea; (H.L.); (J.L.)
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