Moon, Byung Joon Sang Jin Kim Lee, Aram Oh, Yelin Lee, Seoung-Ki Lee, Sang Hyun Kim, Tae-Wook Hong, Byung Hee Bae, Sukang 2024-01-19T13:33:49Z 2024-01-19T13:33:49Z 2022-01-10 2021-10 2041-1723 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/116326 Photophysical and photochemical properties of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) strongly depend on their morphological and chemical features. However, systematic and uniform manipulation of the chemical structures of GQDs remains challenging due to the difficulty in simultaneous control of competitive reactions, i.e., growth and doping, and the complicated post-purification processes. Here, we report an efficient and scalable production of chemically tailored N-doped GQDs (NGs) with high uniformity and crystallinity via a simple one-step solvent catalytic reaction for the thermolytic self-assembly of molecular precursors. We find that the graphitization of N-containing precursors during the formation of NGs can be modulated by intermolecular interaction with solvent molecules, the mechanism of which is evidenced by theoretical calculations and various spectroscopic analyses. Given with the excellent visible-light photoresponse and photocatalytic activity of NGs, it is expected that the proposed approach will promote the practical utilization of GQDs for various applications in the near future. Photophysical and photochemical features of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) strongly depend on their chemical nature that remains challenging to be controlled in a systematic and uniform manner. Here the authors report an efficient solvent-catalyst-aided growth of chemically tailored N-doped GQDs. English Nature Publishing Group Structure-controllable growth of nitrogenated graphene quantum dots via solvent catalysis for selective C-N bond activation Article 10.1038/s41467-021-26122-0 1 Nature Communications, v.12, no.1 Nature Communications 12 1 Y scie scopus 000704983300024 2-s2.0-85116596525 Multidisciplinary Sciences Science & Technology - Other Topics Article INTRAMOLECULAR CHARGE-TRANSFER CARBON DOTS ACID PHOTOLUMINESCENCE DERIVATIVES FACILE REDUCTION MECHANISM OXIDE