In this work, water-soluble and blue-emitting carbon nanodots (CDs) were synthesized from apple peels for the first time via one-step hydrothermal method. The synthetic route is facile, green, economical and viable. The as-prepared CDs were characterized thoroughly by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron (XPS), fluorescence and UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy in terms of their morphology, surface functional groups and optical properties. The results show that these CDs possessed ultrasmall size, good dispersivity, and high tolerance to pH, ionic strength and continuous UV irradiation. Significantly, the CDs had fast and reversible response towards temperature, and the accurate linear relationship between fluorescence intensity and temperature was used to design a novel nanothermometer in a broad temperature range from 5 to 65[Formula: see text]C facilely. In addition, the fluorescence intensity of CDs was observed to be quenched immediately by Cr(VI) ions based on the inner filter effect. A low-cost Cr(VI) ions sensor was proposed employing CDs as fluorescent probe, and it displayed a wide linear range from 0.5 to 200[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M with a detection limit of 0.73[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M. The practicability of the developed Cr(VI) sensor for real water sample assay was also validated with satisfactory recoveries.
High Quantum Yield Fluorescent Carbon Nanodots for detection of Fe (III) Ions and Electrochemical Study of Quenching Mechanism
