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. 2020 Jun 6;13(11):2591.
doi: 10.3390/ma13112591.

Investigating the Properties of Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide/Hydroxylated Graphene Quantum Dots Thin Film for Potential Optical Detection of Heavy Metal Ions

Nur Ain Asyiqin Anas  1   2 , Yap Wing Fen  1   3 , Nor Azah Yusof  4 , Nur Alia Sheh Omar  1 , Nur Syahira Md Ramdzan  3 , Wan Mohd Ebtisyam Mustaqim Mohd Daniyal  1
Affiliations

Investigating the Properties of Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide/Hydroxylated Graphene Quantum Dots Thin Film for Potential Optical Detection of Heavy Metal Ions

Nur Ain Asyiqin Anas et al. Materials (Basel). .

Abstract

The modification of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) may drastically enhance their properties, therefore resulting in various related applications. This paper reported the preparation of novel cetyltrimethylammonium bromide/hydroxylated graphene quantum dots (CTAB/HGQDs) thin film using the spin coating technique. The properties of the thin film were then investigated and studied. The functional groups existing in CTAB/HGQDs thin film were confirmed by the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, while the atomic force microscope (AFM) displayed a homogenous surface of the thin film with an increase in surface roughness upon modification. Optical characterizations using UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy revealed a high absorption with an optical band gap of 4.162 eV. Additionally, the photoluminescence (PL) spectra illustrated the maximum emission peak of CTAB/HGQDs thin film at a wavelength of 444 nm. The sensing properties of the as-prepared CTAB/HGQDs thin film were studied using a surface plasmon resonance technique towards the detection of several heavy metal ions (HMIs) (Zn2+, Ni2+, and Fe3+). This technique generated significant results and showed that CTAB/HGQDs thin film has great potential for HMIs detection.

Keywords: SPR; cetyltrimethylammonium bromide; graphene quantum dots; heavy metal ions; optical; structural; thin film.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Possible structure of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide/hydroxylated graphene quantum dots (CTAB/HGQDs) composite.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Illustration of the preparation process of the CTAB/HGQDs thin film for surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Schematic diagram of (a) experimental SPR setup; (b) Kretschmann 2D configuration.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The combined Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum of the CTAB, HGQDs, and CTAB/HGQDs thin films.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Atomic force microscope (AFM) images of CTAB thin film.
Figure 6
Figure 6
AFM images of HGQDs thin film.
Figure 7
Figure 7
AFM images of CTAB/HGQDs thin film.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Absorbance spectrum of CTAB, HGQDs, and CTAB/HGQDs thin films.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Determination of the optical band gap from (αhv)2 versus hv of all thin films.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of CTAB, HGQDs, and CTAB/HGQDs thin films.
Figure 11
Figure 11
The SPR curves of CTAB/HGQDs thin film in contact with deionized water and 0.1 ppm of Zn2+, Ni2+, and Fe3+ solutions.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Resonance angle shift of CTAB/HGQDs thin film with different metal ion.
Figure 13
Figure 13
The AFM images of CTAB/HGQDs thin film after contact with the HMIs solution.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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