Assessing the Photoinduced Electron-Donating Behavior of Carbon Nanodots in Nanoconjugates
Andrés Ferrer‐Ruiz, Tobías Scharl, Laura Rodríguez‐Pérez, Alejandro Cadranel, M. Ángeles Herranz, Nazario Martı́n, Dirk M. Guldi
Abstract
Carbon nanodots (CNDs) undergo electron transfer in different scenarios. Previous studies have mainly focused on the electron-accepting features of CNDs in covalently linked donor–acceptor nanoconjugates. In view of this, we decided to carry out in this study the formation of covalently linked nanoconjugates that feature electron-donating pressure synthesized carbon nanodots (pCNDs) and electron-accepting 11,11,12,12-tetracyano-9,10-anthra-p-quinodimethane (TCAQ): pCND-TCAQ. The stability of the one-electron reduced form of TCAQ renders it the acceptor of choice. Detailed structural and electrochemical investigations allowed the characterization of pCND-TCAQ. Furthermore, investigations regarding intramolecular interactions, by means of steady-state and pump–probe transient absorption spectroscopies, allowed detection and characterization of three excited state species, in general, and the pCND•+-TCAQ•– charge-separated state, in particular.