Harnessing Maillard reaction byproducts for dual emissive carbon quantum dots: a tunable optical platform.

Quantum dots (QDs) have diverse applications, ranging from optics and energy to biomedical. In this study, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were synthesized using glucose and tryptophan as precursors using one-step microwave (MW) and sand bath (SB) thermal methods, and the CQDs exhibit distinct photoluminescence behaviors. CQD-SB shows enhanced and stable fluorescence despite its amorphous structure, likely due to prolonged thermal treatment, facilitating the formation of robust surface states and stable reaction products.