Carbon quantum dots as a novel type of carbon nanomaterials have attracted the attention of many researchers because of their unique optical, antibacterial, and anticancer properties as well as their biocompatibility. In this study, for the first time, carbon quantum dots were prepared from o-phenylenediamine dissolved in toluene by a solvothermal route. Subsequently, the prepared carbon quantum dots were encapsulated into polyurethane films by a swelling-encapsulation-shrink method. Analyses of the results obtained by different characterization methods (AFM, TEM, EDS, FTIR, photoluminescence, and EPR) indicate the significant influence of the precursor on structural, chemical, and optical properties. Antibacterial and cytotoxicity tests showed that these dots did not have any antibacterial potential, because of the low extent of reactive oxygen species production, and showed low dark cytotoxicity. By investigating the cellular uptake, it was established that these dots penetrated the HeLa cells and could be used as probes for bioimaging.

Faculty of Agriculture University of Belgrade Nemanjina 6 11080 Belgrade Zemun Serbia

Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering University of Belgrade Vojvode Stepe 444a 11042 Belgrade 152 Serbia

Institute of Nuclear Sciences Vinča National Institute of the Republic of Serbia P O B 522 11001 Belgrade Serbia

J Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Dolejškova 3 182 23 Praha 8 Czech Republic

Polymer Institute Slovak Academy of Sciences Dubravska cesta 9 84 541 Bratislava Slovakia

Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts Knez Mihailova 35 11000 Belgrade Serbia

University of Belgrade Faculty of Biology Studentski trg 16 11000 Belgrade Serbia

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