Preparation of solid-state emissive carbon quantum dots and their integration into electroluminescent light-emitting diodes.

Authors

Chenhao Li, Qian Teng, Jinyang Li, Fanglong Yuan

Published in

Nature protocols. Jul 15, 2026. Epub Jul 15, 2026.

Abstract

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have emerged as promising materials for electroluminescent light-emitting diodes (LEDs) because of their photostability, low toxicity and tunable luminescence. However, their implementation in solid-state devices is often hindered by aggregation-induced quenching (AIQ), which leads to a substantial loss of photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and poor device reproducibility. Here, we present a robust, reproducible and scalable protocol for the preparation of solid-state emissive CQDs (SSE-CQDs) and their integration into electroluminescent LEDs. The protocol uses a solvothermal reaction between aromatic aldehydes and aromatic nitriles, involving Knoevenagel-type condensation, dehydration and carbonization. This synthetic strategy enables the formation of non-planar conjugated architectures with incorporated long-chain electron-donating alkoxy groups, which effectively suppress intermolecular π-π interactions and mitigate AIQ in the solid state. Compared with existing approaches that rely on host matrices or multistep post-synthetic modification, this protocol produces intrinsic SSE-CQDs, simplifying processing and improving reproducibility. Using this approach, SSE-CQDs with PLQYs exceeding 40% under ambient conditions can be reproducibly obtained and processed using standard solution-based techniques. This protocol describes in detail the synthesis, purification and basic optical characterization of SSE-CQDs, followed by their incorporation into electroluminescent device architectures. The complete workflow, from CQD synthesis to LED fabrication, can be completed within ~41.5 h. The procedures are compatible with conventional laboratory equipment and are suitable for researchers with experience in nanomaterial synthesis and optoelectronic device fabrication. This protocol provides a general and transferable platform for developing CQD-based solid-state emitters and LEDs.

PMID:
42448907
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 15 Jul 2026.

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