Carlotta Campalani1, Elti Cattaruzza1, Sandro Zorzi1, Alberto Vomiero1,2, Shujie You2, Lauren Matthews3, Marie Capron3,4, Claudia Mondelli5, Maurizio Selva1, Alvise Perosa1. 1. Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Università Ca' Foscari di Venezia, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venezia Mestre, Italy. 2. Division of Material Science, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematichs, Luleå University of Technology, 971 87 Luleå, Sweden. 3. The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 38043 Grenoble CEDEX 9, France. 4. Partnership for Soft Condensed Matter PSCM, ESRF The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38043 Grenoble CEDEX 9, France. 5. CNR-IOM, Institut Laue Langevin, 71, Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble CEDEX 9, France.
Abstract
The synthesis, characterization and photoreduction ability of a new class of carbon dots made from fish scales is here described. Fish scales are a waste material that contains mainly chitin, one of the most abundant natural biopolymers, and collagen. These components make the scales rich, not only in carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, but also in nitrogen. These self-nitrogen-doped carbonaceous nanostructured photocatalyst were synthesized from fish scales by a hydrothermal method in the absence of any other reagents. The morphology, structure and optical properties of these materials were investigated. Their photocatalytic activity was compared with the one of conventional nitrogen-doped carbon dots made from citric acid and diethylenetriamine in the photoreduction reaction of methyl viologen.
The synthesis, characterization and photoreduction ability of a new class of carbon dots made from fish scales is here described. Fish scales are a waste material that contains mainly n class="Chemical">chitin, one of the most abundant natural biopolymers, and collagen. These components make the scales rich, not only in carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, but also in nitrogen. These self-nitrogen-doped carbonaceous nanostructured photocatalyst were synthesized from fish scales by a hydrothermal method in the absence of any other reagents. The morphology, structure and optical properties of these materials were investigated. Their photocatalytic activity was compared with the one of conventional nitrogen-doped carbon dots made from citric acid and diethylenetriamine in the photoreduction reaction of methyl viologen.