The Optoelectronic Behaviour of Carbon Nanoparticles: Evidences of the Importance of the Outer Carbon Shell

G. MARZARI; G.M. MORALES; M.S. MORENO; D. I. GARCIA-GUTIERREZ; F. FUNGO

Nanoscale

The Royal Society of Chemistry

Año: 2013 vol. 5 p. 7977 - 7983

2040-3372

The particular properties of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) have generated great interest in biomedicine,bioanalysis and optoelectronics. However, an association between the CNPs' physicochemical propertieswith their molecular and morphological characteristics is, even today, a topic of discussion. In this work,we use a simple method of synthesis with the ultimate aim of elucidating the structural nature of theobtained CNPs and its relationship with their well-known fluorescent properties. The sample is studiedby high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS),nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), UV-visible and IR spectroscopy, electrochemistry andelectrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL). The results showed that the nanoparticles are constituted bya graphitic core surrounded by an amorphous layer, which seems to be significant in the determinationof the optical and electronic properties observed in the system under study.