Issue 17, 2023

Red emitting carbon dots: surface modifications and bioapplications

Abstract

Quantum dots (QDs), and carbon quantum dots (CDs) in particular, have received significant attention for their special characteristics. These particles, on the scale of several nanometers, are often produced using simple and green methods, with naturally occurring organic precursors. In addition to facile production methods, CDs present advantageous applications in the field of medicine, primarily for bioimaging, antibacterial and therapeutics. Also, CDs present great potential for surface modification through methods like doping or material mixing during synthesis. However, the bulk of current literature focuses on CDs emitting in the blue wavelengths which are not very suitable for biological applications. Red emitting CDs are therefore of additional interest due to their brightness, photostability, novelty and deeper tissue penetration. In this review article, red CDs, their methods of production, and their biological applications for translational research are explored in depth, with emphasis on the effects of surface modifications and doping.

Graphical abstract: Red emitting carbon dots: surface modifications and bioapplications

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
29 6 2023
Accepted
03 8 2023
First published
03 8 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Nanoscale Adv., 2023,5, 4337-4353

Red emitting carbon dots: surface modifications and bioapplications

D. Benner, P. Yadav and D. Bhatia, Nanoscale Adv., 2023, 5, 4337 DOI: 10.1039/D3NA00469D

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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