Synthesis and confinement of carbon dots in lysozyme single crystals produces ordered hybrid materials with tuneable luminescence.

The synthesis and confinement of graphitic nanoparticles (carbon dots) in the nanoscale solvent channels of cross-linked lysozyme single crystals is used to prepare novel biohybrid luminescent materials. Co-sequestration of acridine orange within the biohybrid crystals from acidic or neutral solutions yields FRET-mediated phosphors emitting white or green light, respectively. The results offer a route to new types of tuneable multicolour luminescent materials based on microcrystalline host-guest energy-transfer systems.