The Synthesis of Amphiphilic Luminescent Graphene Quantum Dot and Its Application in Miniemulsion Polymerization

Although emulsion applications of microscale graphene sheets have attracted much attention recently, nanoscale graphene platelets, namely, graphene quantum dots (GQDs), have been rarely explored in interface science. In this work, we study the interfacial behaviors and emulsion phase diagrams of hyd...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Minxiang Zeng, Xuezhen Wang, Yi-Hsien Yu, Lecheng Zhang, Wakaas Shafi, Xiayun Huang, Zhengdong Cheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2016-01-01
Series:Journal of Nanomaterials
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/6490383
Description
Summary:Although emulsion applications of microscale graphene sheets have attracted much attention recently, nanoscale graphene platelets, namely, graphene quantum dots (GQDs), have been rarely explored in interface science. In this work, we study the interfacial behaviors and emulsion phase diagrams of hydrophobic-functionalized graphene quantum dots (C18-GQDs). Distinctive from pristine graphene quantum dots (p-GQDs), C18-GQDs show several interesting surface-active properties including high emulsification efficiency in stabilizing dodecane-in-water emulsions. We then utilize the C18-GQDs as surfactants in miniemulsion polymerization of styrene, achieving uniform and relatively small polystyrene nanospheres. The high emulsification efficiency, low production cost, uniform morphology, intriguing photoluminescence, and extraordinary stability render C18-GQDs an attractive alternative in surfactant applications.
ISSN:1687-4110
1687-4129