Surface Modification Strategy for Yellow-Emitting Carbon Dots in Fluoropolymer Films

Carbon dots (CDs) were prepared from p-phenylenediamine, modified with trifluoroacetic acid, and dispersed in a fluoropolymer (FP) film. Unmodified CDs did not disperse well in the FP film, resulting in concentration quenching; whereas surface modification improved the affinity between the CDs and the FP, resulting in a homogeneous dispersion and an improved photoluminescence quantum yield.