A dual-mode fluorescent probe for temperature-sensing and metal ions detection based on castor leaves-derived carbon quantum dots

Avinash Kumar; Ishant Kumar; Sandeep Kumar; Amit Sharma; Sharma Amit; Arvind K. Gathania

doi:10.1007/s42823-024-00847-6

A dual-mode fluorescent probe for temperature-sensing and metal ions detection based on castor leaves-derived carbon quantum dots

Carbon Letters
Abbr : Carbon Lett.
2025, 35(3), pp.1097~1112
DOI : 10.1007/s42823-024-00847-6
Publisher : Korean Carbon Society
Research Area : Natural Science > Natural Science General > Other Natural Sciences General
Received : August 10, 2024
Accepted : December 24, 2025
Published : June 5, 2025

Avinash Kumar ¹, Ishant Kumar ¹, Sandeep Kumar ¹, Amit Sharma ¹, Sharma Amit ², Arvind K. Gathania ¹

¹Department of Physics and Photonics Science, National Institute of Technology Hamirpur, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh
²Bharati Vidyapeeth’s College of Engineering, New Delhi

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study incorporates the formation of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) via a hydrothermal approach, recording the first-time use of castor leaves as a natural precursor. The used precursor offers various benefits including novelty, abundance, elemental composition, and biocompatibility. CQDs were further characterized with multiple techniques including high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM), X-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, Zeta analysis, and optical spectroscopy. They are fundamentally composed of carbon (71.37%), nitrogen (3.91%), and oxygen (24.73%) and are nearly spherical, and uniformly distributed with an average diameter of 2.7 nm. They possess numerous interesting characteristics like broad excitation/emission bands, excitation-sensitive emission, marvelous photostability, reactivity, thermo-sensitivity, etc. A temperature sensor (thermal sensitivity of 0.58% C−1) with repeatability and reversibility of results is also demonstrated. Additionally, they were found selective and sensitive to ions in aqueous solutions. So, they are also utilized as a fluorescent probe for metal ion (Fe3+) sensing. The lowest limit of detection (LOD) value for the current metal ion sensor is 19.1 µM/L.

KEYWORDS

Carbon quantum dots, Photostability, Ion detection, Temperature-sensing, Thermal sensitivity, Limit of detection

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Total Citation Counts(KCI+WOS) (19) This is the number of times that the duplicate count has been removed by comparing the citation list of WoS and KCI.

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Carbon Letters 2025 KCI Impact Factor : 0.73 KCI-WoS Impact Factor : 6.26

A dual-mode fluorescent probe for temperature-sensing and metal ions detection based on castor leaves-derived carbon quantum dots

ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS

Citation status

This is the result of checking the information with the same ISSN, publication year, volume, and start page between the WoS and the KCI journals. (as of 2026-07-09)

Total Citation Counts(KCI+WOS) (19) This is the number of times that the duplicate count has been removed by comparing the citation list of WoS and KCI.

* References for papers published after 2025 are currently being built.

Carbon Letters 2025 KCI Impact Factor : 0.73 KCI-WoS Impact Factor : 6.26

A dual-mode fluorescent probe for temperature-sensing and metal ions detection based on castor leaves-derived carbon quantum dots

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WoS Citation Counts (19) This is the result of checking the information with the same ISSN, publication year, volume, and start page between the WoS and the KCI journals. (as of 2026-07-09)

Total Citation Counts(KCI+WOS) (19) This is the number of times that the duplicate count has been removed by comparing the citation list of WoS and KCI.

REFERENCES (83) * References for papers published after 2025 are currently being built.

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* References for papers published after 2025 are currently being built.