Preparation of new full UV-absorbing carbon dots from quercetin and their application in UV-absorbing systems for waterborne polyurethane coatings

In this paper, a kind of novel fully UV absorbing carbon dots (QC-CDs) were prepared as UV absorbers by a one-step hydrothermal method using quercetin as raw material. The prepared QC-CDs have high absorption efficiency (over 98%) in the whole ultraviolet region (200–400 nm), and are almost completely transmitted in the visible light region. The prepared QC-CDs have good stability and resistance to photobleaching. After the treatment with different pH and temperature, the QC-CDs maintained good absorption stability. QC-CDs have a wider UV absorption range than commercial water-soluble organic UV absorbers-BP-4. In terms of aging resistance, QC-CDs can achieve the same effect as BP-4. After subjecting QC-CDs and BP-4 to different pH values, it was found that QC-CDs remain fully UV absorbing at different pH conditions and maintain good absorption stability, but BP-4 loses its function as a UV absorber under alkaline conditions. Then, the UV absorption mechanism of QC-CDs has also been investigated and applied to the UV absorption systems of waterborne coatings PU. Finally, the QC-CDs@PU with full UV absorption properties was applied in the photodegradation prevention experiment of Rhodamine B. At present, the preparation process of QC-CDs is simple and environmentally friendly. QC-CDs have the potential to become a new generation of water-soluble UV absorbers.