Work

Carbon dots composite luminescent materials: Design, optical properties, and applications

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Carbon dots (CDs), as emerging carbon nanomaterials, have attracted significant attention from researchers because of their unique optical properties. However, the stability of single CDs is poor, their functionality is limited, and their fluorescence and phosphorescence are prone to aggregation quenching and affected by nonradiative transitions. In recent years, to address these limitations, researchers have developed CDs composites luminescent materials, greatly expanding the range of applications of CDs. In this review, we review the research progress of CDs composites from three aspects: design and preparation, optical properties, and applications. In particular, the methods for designing and preparing CDs composites, including surface modification, matrix assistance, and energy transfer strategies, are summarized. These methods enable the realization of long-wavelength, multicolor, stimuli-responsive, and long lifetime luminescence properties in CDs composites. Then, we introduce the applications of CDs composites in the photoelectric field, sensing, biological imaging, information security and identification. Finally, we conclude by discussing the challenges and future development directions of CDs composites.

Source: Nano Materials Science

DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoms.2025.06.002

Authors: Jianye Zhang, Qiang Fu, Shouhong Sun, Kailin Zhang, Mingbo Yue

Institution: Qufu Normal University

Language: English

Topic: Carbon and Quantum Dots Applications

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: Qufu Normal University, Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province

Awards: G2360244264, G4101115749, G6899638859, G760020538