Preparation and application of carbon dots derived from cherry blossom flowers

Herein, carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized from cherry blossom flowers, and characterized by TEM, FTIR, XPS, ultraviolet and fluorescence spectra. They exhibited bright blue fluorescence under UV irradiation, making them applicable for fluorescent ink. They can also be quenched by several heavy metal ions, especially Fe3+ ion. The quench of CDs was linearly related to Fe3+ ion concentration, making them able to quantify Fe3+ ion. Furthermore, they were low-toxicity to RAW264. 7 macrophages, and emitted bright blue, green and red fluorescence under confocal microscopy. Hence, the CDs might be applied as fluorescent ink, metal ion sensor or cell imaging agent.