Work

Integrated Solvent‐Catalyst‐Dopant Strategy via Acidic DES for Synthesizing Lignin‐Derived Carbon Dots With High‐Quantum Yield to Achieve Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Tetracycline

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Compared to the conventional hot water method which are limited by the low lignin solubility and weak acidity, the deep eutectic solvents (DESs) offer a superior integrated platform of solvent, catalyst, and dopant for producing high‐performance carbon quantum dots (CQDs). The acidic DES systems can overcome incomplete dehydration and sp 3 ‐C defects by leveraging strong hydrogen‐bonding networks and efficient acid catalysis to drive deep carbonization and aromatization. Notably, the DES of choline chloride (ChCl)/p‐toluenesulfonic acid (pTSA) (1:1) not only ensures the dispersion of lignin precursor via strong electronegativity and ππ stacking but also directs carbonization through specific SO···HO interactions and facilitates in‐situ sulfur doping. This results in the sample of CQDs‐pTSA samples with a highly conjugated carbon core (82.8% sp 2 ‐C) and an exceptional quantum yield of 56.9% (4.8 times higher than hydrothermal counterparts). When integrated with TiO 2 , the CQDs‐pTSA significantly enhances the photocatalytic performance, achieving a 97.3% tetracycline degradation efficiency with high cyclic stability. This improvement is attributed to the rich surface functionalities (CO, pyrrolic‐N, and thioether‐S), which form TiOC and TiOS bridges. These interfacial bonds, combined with a broadened visible light absorption range (redshifted to 578 nm), effectively suppress carrier recombination and accelerate interfacial charge transfer.

Source: Energy & environment materials

DOI: 10.1002/eem2.70459

Authors: Xinhang Li, Haipeng Guo, Suen Hou, Fenghua Huang, Hailong Yu

Institutions: Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences

Language: English

Topic: Carbon and Quantum Dots Applications

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,000