%0 Journal Article %A Das, Ananya %A Gude, Venkatesh %A Roy, Debjit %A Chatterjee, Tanmay %A De, Chayan K. %A Mandal, Prasun K. %D 2017 %T On the Molecular Origin of Photoluminescence of Nonblinking Carbon Dot %U https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/On_the_Molecular_Origin_of_Photoluminescence_of_Nonblinking_Carbon_Dot/4904000 %R 10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b02433.s001 %2 https://acs.figshare.com/ndownloader/files/8245373 %K single-exponential PL lifetime %K single-particle level %K aggregated 2- pyridone derivatives %K single-exponential decay equation %K PLQY %K FLIM %K Nonblinking Carbon Dot %K FRET %K literature reports %X The molecular origin of the photoluminescence (PL) of carbon dots (CDs) is not fully understood. In this article it is shown that CDs are composed of aggregated 2-pyridone derivatives employing π–π stacking and H-bonding, etc. The PL quantum yield of this CD is quite high in aqueous medium (∼75%). Unlike literature reports the PL emission maximum of this CD is excitation wavelength independent, and PL decay follows a single-exponential decay equation. These CDs have a long PL lifetime (from ∼10 to 15 ns), so that solvation is complete before emission. The extent of trap states could be reduced quite significantly. A high PLQY and long and single-exponential PL lifetime and it’s polarity dependence would make this CD a suitable probe for FRET and FLIM. It could be shown that unlike literature reports this CD as a single particle does not blink. Unlike literature reports where CDs are bleached within a few seconds these CDs at the single-particle level are alive for about a few minutes. All these aggregation-induced much improved optical properties will make this CD a suitable optical emitter at the ensemble as well as single-particle level toward bioimaging. As the molecular origin is now known several optical properties can now be tuned. %I ACS Publications