One-Pot Synthesis of Fluorescent Carbon Dots from Orange Waste Peels

A simple and facile one-pot synthesis of fluorescent carbon dots from orange waste peels was performed using the hydrothermal carbonization method at a mild temperature (180 °C). The chemical composition and morphological feature of the obtained carbon dots (C-dots) were characterized using various spectroscopies and a transmission electron microscopy. The prepared hydrothermal carbons were amorphous in nature, and clusters of polyaromatic hydrocarbons included a large quantity of oxygen functional groups. A composite of C-dot with ZnO was used as a photocatalyst for degradation of naphthol blue-black azo dye under UV irradiation, and the superior photocatalytic activity was demonstrated. Overall, the present preparation method of C-dots takes on meaning in the area of green synthesis in aqueous solutions, and the product has great potential as a component material in the development of a remarkably efficient catalytic system.