Reseachers from the University of Sydney managed to create graphene quatum dots that shine nearly five times brighter than regular dots. These powerful dots can be used for bio-imaging, like capturing images of internal organs or be injected into the body to detect cancer cells. They are even much less toxic compared to current dots for internal use. Other possible uses include ultra-bright LEDs, like the ones in screens or signs, or even batteries with long-life and faster charging times.
The researchers used ultrasound to break graphene sheets into atom-scale dots, then used potassium hydroxide to enhance the surface area of these dots. They increased the surface area by six times to get the dots to fluoresce almost five timer brighter than conventional dots.