Broad-spectrum light-responsive N-doped graphene quantum dots for efficient photocatalytic generation of hydroxyl radicals and antibacterial applications

Abstract

Nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (N-GQDs) are promising, sustainable, and metal-free photocatalysts due to their tunable bandgap and visible-light absorption. Here, we report the first direct photocatalytic conversion of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) into hydroxyl radicals (OH) by standalone N-GQDs under visible light. The N-GQDs, synthesized via a rapid, green, and atmospheric plasma-assisted process, exhibited an average size of 3.9 nm with pyridinic, pyrrolic, and graphitic nitrogen dopants, as well as broad UV-visible absorption. Quantitative measurements reveal excellent OH generation rates under UVA (18.7 μM h⁻¹), blue (8.52 μM h⁻¹), and green (0.58 μM h⁻¹) light. The electronic bandgap was determined to be 2.35 eV. The photocatalytic efficiency reaches a remarkably high value of 645 (μM h⁻¹ mW⁻¹ cm⁻² mg mL⁻¹), significantly over traditional TiO₂-based systems. Importantly, the N-GQDs enable light-switchable antibacterial activity, achieving >5-log reduction of Staphylococcus aureus under low UVA dosage (0.1 J cm⁻²) with minimal H₂O₂ (10⁻² M). These findings highlight N-GQDs as efficient, metal-free photocatalysts for light-triggered OH radical generation and disinfection, offering potential for ON/OFF-switchable antimicrobial platforms for biomedical and environmental use.