Exploring the Optical Properties of Functional Carbon Dots Derived from Jackfruit Seeds and their Potential Applications

Abstract Carbon dots are nanomaterials that exhibit exceptional optical properties due to their fluorescence, photoluminescence tunability, broad absorption, and photostability. This study reports the synthesis of carbon dots (CDs) from agricultural remains, Jackfruit seeds ( Artocarpus heterophyllus ), through a facile synthesis technique of a one‐step microwave‐assisted solvothermal method. The synthesized CDs offer good optical properties, by absorbing UV radiation and giving a broad excitation wavelength‐dependent emission (300 to 700 nm). This evidences the synthesized material to act as a down‐converter in various applications, like solar cells and LEDs. The tunability of the bandgap of these nanocarbons is also explored by employing solvatochromism in solvents of varying polarity, including DI water, DMF, and NMP, enhancing their optical properties. Further, they can also be used for UV protection applications like window panes, sunglasses, and sunscreen creams, owing to the 97.44% UV absorption for the CDs dispersed in NMP. Similarly, the down‐conversion ability of this material is utilized to convert UV‐LEDs to W‐LEDs with CRI point, R a = 77, and CCT = 6785 K, which resembles cool bright daylight. Thus, the synthesized CDs from jackfruit seeds exhibit exemplary optical properties, opening wide avenues into UV protection, lighting technologies, and other such potential applications.