Highly selective antenna effect of graphene quantum dots (GQDs): A new fluorescent sensitizer for rare earth element terbium in aqueous media

Abstract

This study focused on the fluorescence antenna-sensitizing effect of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) in a case on the detection of terbium ions. A simple one-step chemical oxidation method was applied for the preparation of GQDs starting from the regular multilayer graphene oxide (GO) via the refluxing in a concentrated mixture of strong acids. The as-prepared GQDs were further evaluated as a fluorescent sensitizer to the terbium ion. An expanded in-deep mechanism study on the fluorescence phenomena during the interaction of the as-prepared GQDs and REEs was made. The highly selective antenna effect of GQDs on one of REEs’ aqueous media, which was terbium (III), was identified. The excited terbium ion emitted its long-living fluorescence based on its own characteristic line-typed f-f transition, contrasting to a undetectable fluorescence in a very poor quantum yield in its aqueous solution induced by water collisions. This study, in the first place, identified the significant sensitization effect of the as-prepared GQDs on the terbium ion in a high selectivity in aqueous media. The detectable linear range and the detection limit of the terbium ion was 0–30 × 10−6 mol L−1 (R2 = 0.9960) of 0.3 × 10−6 mol L−1, respectively. The excitation wavelength and the optimal fluorescence wavelength were 230 nm 546 nm, respectively. Further material characterizations, involving XPS, FTIR, Raman and the Zeta potential, verified the important participation of carboxyl function groups on the as-prepared GQDs.