Carbon Dots Fluoresce Their Way Through the Rainbow as Liquids Change

Carbon dots fluoresce their way through the rainbow as liquids change

Fluorescent materials usually emit a single consistent color. They are typically made from dyes or metallic components. In contrast, researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have created carbon dots that can fluoresce in a range of colors under UV light, depending on the concentration and the liquid they're in. The team incorporated the new carbon dots into plastic decorations and used them to create a data encryption system.

Same carbon dots, different colors depending on their surroundings

Carbon dots change their fluorescence across the visible spectrum in response to acidity, solvents, and concentration, enabling highly efficient light emission and experimental anti-counterfeiting systems.

Carbon dots shift colors under UV light for encryption and sensing

Researchers created carbon dots that fluoresce in different colors depending on concentration, acidity and surrounding liquid, and embedded them in plastics for a multidimensional data encryption system.

Carbon Dots That Fluoresce Their Way Through the Rainbow

Researchers reporting in ACS Central Science created carbon dots that glow in different colors under UV light depending on concentration and surrounding liquid, then incorporated them into plastic decorations and a data encryption system.