Synthesis of Nanocrystalline Reduced Graphene Oxide Quantum Dots

Reduced graphene oxide quantum dots (rGOQDTs) play a vital role in a variety of biological, optoelectronics, and environmental applications. The quality of 0D nanodots is compromised when they are cut from big 2D nanosheets. As a result, it is necessary to maintain a balance between quality and yield. Here, we developed a two-step hydrothermal process for producing nanocrystalline rGOQDTs by employing graphene oxide (GO) as an initial precursor. UV-Visible spectroscopy was used to explore the optical properties of rGOQDTs. XRD, Raman, and FTIR spectroscopic experiments were performed to better understand the crystalline and chemical properties and composition of rGOQDTs. The nanocrystalline rGOQDTs have an average crystallite size of 1.67nm. Using GO as an initial precursor implies a simple two-step approach for producing nanocrystalline rGOQDTs in a low-cost, highly efficient, and scalable manner.