2024 NEWS AND ANNOUCEMENTS

Congratulations to Rachel Anne Lagunay and Banu Akhetova on the publication of their article titled "Tailoring the optoelectronic properties of soybean-derived nitrogen self-doped carbon dots through composite formation with KCl and zeolite, synthesized using autogenic atmosphere pyrolysis." in Crystals journal. 

This article deals with a fascinating study on the synthesis and characterization of carbon dots from soybean biomass. A novel approach is taken by investigating how doping these carbon dots with potassium chloride (KCl) or zeolite affects their size, elemental composition and optical properties. Remarkably, the results show a significant reduction in size after doping, with the undoped carbon dots averaging 8.86 ± 0.10 nm in size, in contrast to their doped counterparts at 3.09 ± 0.05 nm (CD@Zeolite) and 2.07 ± 0.05 nm (CD@KCl). Moreover, the doping process leads to remarkable changes in the elemental composition and alters the optical properties, especially the excitation-dependent emission. These intriguing results point to promising applications of these engineered carbon dots in areas such as environmental sensing and energy-related endeavors.

To read the full article, you can access it through this link.

Congratulations to Najeeb Abdulla, PhD student at Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology, under the supervision of Prof. Marvin Jose Fernandez and Dr. Mannix Balanay, on the publication of her review article titled "Upcycling Biomass Waste into Luminescent Solid-State Carbon Dots" in Elsevier's newly launched open access journal Next Materials.

This review paper addresses the promising area of biomass waste-derived carbon dots (BWCDs) as sustainable solutions for the conversion of waste into valuable materials. BWCDs are versatile in both dissolved and solid forms and exhibit biocompatible properties and customizable characteristics. Despite the beneficial properties of BWCDs in solid form, such as improved stability and functionality, widespread application faces obstacles. In this article, the properties of BWCDs, synthesis techniques, and strategies to improve solid-state stability and functionality are reviewed. Applications in optoelectronics and materials science highlight the versatility of BWCDs, although challenges remain in terms of efficiency and stability. Nonetheless, this work highlights the potential of BWCDs as environmentally friendly alternatives and symbolizes the convergence of waste recycling and advanced materials science that drives technological innovation.

To read the full article, you can access it through this link.