Quantum Yield Enhancement in Graphene Quantum Dots via Esterification with Benzyl Alcohol

The quantum yield of graphene quantum dots was enhanced by restriction of the rotation and vibration of surface functional groups on the edges of the graphene quantum dots via esterification with benzyl alcohol; this enhancement is crucial for the widespread application of graphene quantum dots in light-harvesting devices and optoelectronics. The obtained graphene quantum dots with highly graphene-stacked structures are understood to participate in π–π interactions with adjacent aromatic rings of the benzylic ester on the edges of the graphene quantum dots, thus impeding the nonradiative recombination process in graphene quantum dots. Furthermore, the crude graphene quantum dots were in a gel-like solid form and showed white luminescence under blue light illumination. Our results show the potential for improving the photophysical properties of nanomaterials, such as the quantum yield and band-gap energy for emission, by controlling the functional groups on the surface of graphene quantum dots through an organic modification approach.