Nanocomposites of carbon quantum dots–nickel(ii) dithiolene as nanolights

Abstract

Three types of nanocrystals (viz., nanodiscs, rectangular prisms and hexagonal prisms) of the nickel(II) dithiolene complex, [PPh₄][Ni^II(L²⁻)(L^1−●)], 1 [L = 1,2-dicarbomethoxyethylene dithiolate] displaying solvent dependent shapes and characteristic SAED patterns are reported. On doping with CQDs these non-luminescent nanocrystals form nanocomposites which show a wide range of photoluminescence depending on the size of the CQD used, and the various nanocrystalline shapes of complex 1 can be optically imaged by CQD treatment that is reminiscent of cellular bioimaging.