Circularly Polarized Luminescence of Achiral Carbon Dots in Bi-Solvent Systems Triggered by Supramolecular Self-Assembly.

An innovative strategy for circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) of carbon dots (CDs) has been developed: The achiral CDs displayed contrary supramolecular chirality and opposite CPL in two different bi-solvent systems, which are due to the formation of self-assembled helical nanostructures with two diverse assembly modes (P and M) in aggregate state via intermolecular π-π interactions and differential hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) without the need of any additional element of chirality.