Graphitic carbon nitride-based nanocomposites and their biological applications: a review

Abstract

Quantum dots (QDs) have extensive application prospects in the fields of optics, magnetism, catalysis, and biomedicine. New carbon-doped QDs are currently being used in these research fields. Graphitic carbon nitride QDs (g-CNs) composed of only carbon and nitrogen have attracted attention because of their unique optical and catalytic properties. g-CNs have numerous electronic properties and can be used as photocatalytic modifiers in a wide range of applications in electrochemistry. Additionally, g-CNs also have biological potential and due to their chemical composition have extremely low toxicity; their blue light emission can be applied to biological imaging, and their appropriate energy level (2.7 eV) allows electrons to be deposited on their surface, which allows g-CNs to be used as photosensitizers in optical therapy. Finally, g-CNs can be combined with other nanomaterials to form composite materials, which can result in new advantages not seen in either of the materials alone. In this manuscript, we thoroughly report the most recent findings regarding the synthesis of g-CNs and their respective properties. We report the advantages of g-CNs conferred by their unique properties and their advantages for application in current biology and medicines.