Long-wavelength (red to near-infrared) emissive carbon dots: Key factors for synthesis, fluorescence mechanism, and applications in biosensing and cancer theranostics

Carbon dots (CDs), as a new member of carbon nanostructures, have been widely applied in extensive fields due to their exceptional physicochemical properties. While, the emissions of most reported CDs are located in the blue to green range under the excitation of ultraviolet or blue light, which severely limits their practical applications, especially in photovoltaic and biological fields. Studies that focused on synthesizing CDs with long-wavelength (red to near-infrared) emission/excitation features (simply named L-w CDs) and exploring their potential applications have been frequently reported in recent years. In this review, we analyzed the key influence factors for the synthesis of CDs with long wavelength and multicolor (containing long wavelength) emissive properties, discussed possible fluorescence mechanism, and summarized their applications in sensing and cancer theranostics. Finally, the existing challenges and potential opportunities of L-w CDs are presented. (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

Automated summary

The review discusses the limitations of carbon dots in practical applications and the research on long-wavelength carbon dots. It analyzes the key factors for synthesizing long wavelength CDs, discusses the fluorescence mechanism, and summarizes their potential applications in sensing and cancer theranostics.