Advances, challenges and promises of carbon dots

In recent years, carbon dots (C-dots) have become a rising star for a spectrum of environmental and energy applications, ranging from chemical catalysis, to photocatalysis, electrocatalysis and energy storage, such as batteries and capacitors, due to their unique physicochemical, optical and electrical properties. This review discusses the up-to-date progress on carbon dots, with an emphasis on their environmental and energy applications along with some discussion on the challenges and promises in this exciting and promising field.