Photoluminescent Carbon Quantum Dots from Dichrostachys glomerata Pods with Antioxidant and Cu²⁺ Chelating Properties

Abstract This work presents the facile and single‐step hydrothermal synthesis of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) using the Dichrostachys glomerata extract as raw material. CQDs with the highest photoluminescence (PL) were obtained after heating the extract in 4 M NaOH at 200 °C for 7 h. The obtained CQDs exhibit an average size of ca. 4.7 nm, a green‐yellow PL emission independent on the excitation wavelength with contributions located at 478 and 562 nm, a monoexponential decay of their PL lifetime and a PL quantum yield of 18 %. These results indicate that the surface functionalization of sp² clusters in CQDs is uniform. The antioxidant properties of CQDs were also investigated. CQDs can effectively reduce free radicals like superoxide or oxidants like KMnO₄. Moreover, CQDs show a high Cu²⁺ chelating activity, which is attributed to the abundant carboxylate functions on their surface and may therefore be of high interest in therapeutic applications related to Cu²⁺ ions overload.