Black sesame-derived carbon dots for metal ion and amine vapour sensing

Carbon dots (CDs) are carbon nanoparticles with unique properties, including high photo stability and low toxicity. In this work, CDs were synthesized from black sesame via one-step hydrothermal method. CDs were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that the size of CDs was around 7 nm, and they exhibited blue fluorescent emission with a quantum yield of 1%. The obtained CDs were applied in sensing applications for metal ion detection and ethylenediamine vapour using an electronic nose. This work thus demonstrated that carbon dots prepared from black sesame are intriguing sensing materials for various chemicals.