One-step large-scale fabricating aggregation-induced emission carbon dots with strong solid-state fluorescence emission

Carbon dots (CDs) possessing favorable stability and optical properties have attracted extensive attention for their potential application in solid-state light-emitting devices. However, due to the stacking of π–π conjugated systems, solid-state CDs often suffer aggregation-caused quenching effect, resulting in fluorescence quenching. There are few reports on solid-state fluorescent CDs fabricated without using other solid matrices. In this work, we report a facile approach for one-step synthesis of yellow-green solid-state CDs without using matrix. The synthesized CDs show an independent excitation and emission in various organic solvents. Importantly, the prepared CDs show solvatochromism and aggregation-induced emission redshift effect. By simply drying the colloidal solution of CDs, yellow-green solid-state fluorescent CD powders with a photoluminescence quantum yield of 25.5% can be obtained. High-performance white light-emitting diodes with Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage coordinates at (0.35, 0.37) are prepared by employing the yellow-green solid-state CD powders. The corresponding color temperature and color rendering index are 4691 K and 91.5 under ultraviolet excitation of 365 nm, respectively. The facile synthesis method of solid-state fluorescent CDs with unique optical features offers promising future for CDs-based optoelectronic devices. A facile approach for large-scale one-step synthesis of yellow-green solid-state carbon dots without using matrix which show a photoluminescence quantum yield of 25.5% is reported. High-performance white light-emitting diodes with Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage coordinates at (0.35, 0.37) are fabricated by employing the solid-state carbon dot powders. The corresponding color temperature and color rendering index are 4691 K and 91.5 under ultraviolet excitation of 365 nm, respectively. • A novel approach for one-step synthesis of yellow-green solid-state carbon dots (CDs) without using matrix is reported. • The prepared CDs show solvatochromism and aggregation-induced emission redshift effect. • White light-emitting diodes with CIE coordinates at (0.35, 0.37) are prepared using CDs powders.