Huibin Zheng, Zhengui Zhao, Jonathan B. Phan
Dec 17, 2019
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0
Influential Citations
18
Citations
Journal
ACS applied materials & interfaces
Abstract
Two-demensional (2D) luminescent materials have received tremendous attentions for their intrinsic properties and promising practical applications. Whereas, achieving 2D luminescent materials with high photoluminescence (PL) efficiency is still a challenge. Here, Ultra-thin 2D metal-free luminescent nanosheets of 2, 5, 8-triamino-tri-s-triazine (melem) are synthesized through a facile liquid exfoliation process assisted by ultrasound. The as-obtained melem nanosheets distribute in the size range from a few nanometers to around 150 nm with a thickness about 5 to 6 atomic layers. Melem nanosheets exhibit efficient blue emission with a PL efficiency as high as 77.09%, much higher than the heavily explored 2D luminescent g-C3N4 nanosheets. The high efficiency of melem nanosheets comes from the absence of atom vacancies and the low carrier mobility. Benefiting from the easy synthesis, good stability, low cell toxicity and high efficiency, melem nanosheets are successfully applied as bioimaging materials on human breast cancer cells, requiring no extra treatments like surface coating or functionalization. This 2D metal-free luminescent melem nanosheets hold great potential for various applications including bioimaging and other bio-related applications.