Investigation of fluorescence enhancement and antibacterial properties of nitrogen-doped carbonized polymer nanomaterials (N-CPNs)

Carbonized Polymer Nanomaterials (CPNs) have acquired substantial research interest in recent years due to their budding applications in various optical and electrochemical studies like electrocatalysis, solar cells, biosensing, etc. Due to their stability and toxicity, the enhancement of CPNs' properties was the primary cause of concern. Herein, we synthesized Nitrogen-doped (N-doped) N-CPNs using the one-step hydrothermal approach of PVA and PVDF polymers with Nitric acid (HNO₃) as the nitrogen source. The luminescence intensity was observed to be enhanced by increasing nitrogen doping concentration. The synthesized fluorescent samples exhibited significant antibacterial properties, making them useful in biomarkers, sensing strategies, drug delivery, etc. Doped PVA samples exhibited negligible antibacterial activity, but nitrogen-doped PVDF samples displayed considerable biocidal activity against gram-positive bacteria, according to antibacterial research. Each sample's growth inhibition was distinct and species-specific.