In-situ embedding of carbon dots in boron nitride for enhancing phosphor stability and fluorescent film heat dissipation

The aggregation-induced quenching effect and poor thermal stability issues of carbon dots (CDs) limit their further development in the solid-state lighting and display field. In this work, a red carbon dot/boron nitride nanosheet (rCDs/BNNS) composite was synthesized using boron nitride as a carrier by in-situ embedding of rCDs. Thanks to the uniform dispersion of rCDs and the restraint of BNNS, the prepared rCDs/BNNS composite has excellent fluorescence stability and thermal stability. rCDs/BNNS composites as fluorescent markers can be used to detect potential fingerprints on various surfaces. Furthermore, rCDs/BNNS were dispersed into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymers to prepare rCDs/BNNS/PVA flexible luminescent films. In addition to the excellent stability inherited from rCDs/BNNS, the thin film also exhibits high heat dissipation by reason of the establishment of a heat transfer channel in the PVA by rCDs/BNNS. Moreover, thin films can still maintain original fluorescence after undergoing hundreds or thousands of bends, while possessing sufficient tensile strength. This study provides a facile pathway for the preparation of highly stable CDs luminescent materials, and has a promising application in the forensic identification and flexible luminescent devices' thermal management fields.