Carbon Dots and Quantum Dots for Fluorescent Sensing and Imaging
This research community develops carbon-based nanomaterials, primarily carbon dots and quantum dots, to create fluorescent probes for detecting specific chemicals and for biological imaging.
The work centers on the synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbon dots and graphene quantum dots, often using green synthesis methods. These materials are engineered to exhibit ratiometric fluorescence, allowing for sensitive and selective detection of targets such as tetracycline antibiotics, heavy metal ions, and other small molecules. The recurring focus is on creating highly sensitive fluorescent sensors and probes that can function in complex environments, including food samples and biological systems. While the core material is carbon, the research frequently involves co-doping with elements like nitrogen, sulfur, or boron to tune optical properties. Applications range from analytical chemistry, where the goal is precise quantification of analytes, to biomedical imaging, where the dots serve as low-toxicity alternatives to traditional inorganic quantum dots.
The community’s output is most concentrated in research related to Nitrogen, Cadmium, and Carbon. Nitrogen research accounts for 1.1% of the element’s total literature, while Cadmium and Carbon each represent 1.3% and 1.1% of their respective fields. Nitrogen also contributes the highest number of papers to this group, with 754 entries.
There are 5,872 papers in this community, with the most frequent publication venues being Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, Microchemical Journal, and Carbon.
Recent work continues to focus on the application of these materials in food safety, such as detecting residual antibiotics like ofloxacin and cefadroxil, and in biomedical contexts, including ophthalmology and drug delivery. Newer studies also explore the integration of machine learning to optimize the synthesis of solid-state emitting carbon dots and the development of dual-mode sensors that combine colorimetric and fluorometric detection to overcome cross-interference.
Papers behind this description
- A review of carbon dots in synthesis strategy — Coordination Chemistry Reviews, 2023 — doi:10.1016/j.ccr.2023.215468
- Properties, synthesis, and applications of carbon dots: A review — Carbon Trends, 2023 — doi:10.1016/j.cartre.2023.100276
- Carbon Quantum Dots: Properties, Preparation, and Applications — Molecules, 2024 — doi:10.3390/molecules29092002
- A multifunctional chemical toolbox to engineer carbon dots for biomedical and energy applications — Nature Nanotechnology, 2022 — doi:10.1038/s41565-021-01051-7
- The light of carbon dots: From mechanism to applications — Matter, 2022 — doi:10.1016/j.matt.2021.10.016
- Carbon Dots: A New Type of Carbon-Based Nanomaterial with Wide Applications — ACS Central Science, 2020 — doi:10.1021/acscentsci.0c01306
- Carbon Dots: From Synthesis to Unraveling the Fluorescence Mechanism — Small, 2023 — doi:10.1002/smll.202303937
- Biomass-derived carbon dots: synthesis, modification and application in batteries — Chemical Science, 2025 — doi:10.1039/d4sc08659g
- Zero-Dimensional Carbon Nanomaterials for Fluorescent Sensing and Imaging — Chemical Reviews, 2023 — doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00186
- Carbon dots as versatile nanomaterials in sensing and imaging: Efficiency and beyond — Heliyon, 2024 — doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31634
- Carbon quantum dots in bioimaging and biomedicines — Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 2024 — doi:10.3389/fbioe.2023.1333752
- Biomedical application of carbon quantum dots: A review — Carbon Trends, 2024 — doi:10.1016/j.cartre.2024.100407
- Colorimetric and fluorometric dual-mode sensing of cefadroxil based on peroxidase-like activity of iron and nitrogen co-doped carbon dots — Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 2025 — doi:10.1016/j.saa.2025.126313
- Carbon dots: from fundamentals to frontier applications — Science China Chemistry, 2025 — doi:10.1007/s11426-025-3195-y
- Advancements and Prospects of Metal-Organic Framework-Based Fluorescent Sensors — Biosensors, 2025 — doi:10.3390/bios15110709
- Low-temperature molten-salt enabled synthesis of highly-efficient solid-state emitting carbon dots optimized using machine learning — Nature Communications, 2025 — doi:10.1038/s41467-025-63653-2
- Carbon Dots as Multifunctional Nanofillers in Sustainable Food Packaging: A Comprehensive Review — Foods, 2025 — doi:10.3390/foods14173082
- Amine-functionalized sulfur quantum dots (NH2-SQDs) for detection of tetracycline in food samples — Materials Research Bulletin, 2025 — doi:10.1016/j.materresbull.2025.113506