Preparation and optical properties of phthalocyanine–carbon dot blends

Abstract

To develop better light-capturing nanostructures, we plan to connect an excellent light-harvesting molecule with rich redox chemistry (phthalocyanine, Pc) to a fascinating luminescent material (carbon dots, CDs). Firstly, CDs with diameters of 3.0–5.5 nm were synthesized using a chemical oxidation, and were then blended with Pc phosphoric acid solution under ultrasonication. UV-vis and infrared spectroscopy were used to determine the interactions between CDs and phthalocyanine. The photoluminescent behavior of the blends depends on the proportion of CDs and phthalocyanine used. This can be attributed to the formation of two different structures; sandwich and plum pudding. The Pc–carbon dot blends exhibit broader UV-vis absorption and better visible light emission. Therefore, these findings pave the way for the development of new antenna systems that can capture solar light.