Carbon Dots

Carbon dots (c-dots) are novel carbon-based spherical nanoparticles with diameters less than 10 nm and core-shell structure. In comparison to many previously known carbon-based nanomaterials, the discovery of carbon dots is rather recent. 

C-dots exhibit many excellent properties such as ultra-small size, tunable photoluminescence, various surface functionalities, high water dispersibility and biocompatibility, which are not achieved among many carbon-based nanomaterials. These properties allow c-dots to be used in various applications such as bioimaging, sensing, printing and drug delivery. 

Compared to carbon nanotubes, c-dots offer photoluminescence and biocompatibility. Compared to the traditional quantum dots, c-dots offer great dispersibility in water. Furthermore, c-dots don’t have toxic heavy metals in the structure so that the use of c-dots in cells and animal models is safer and more reliable. Also, considering the rich functional groups on the surface, carbon dots as the smallest carbon-based nanoparticles, can be used to construct many large and complex nanostructures. To put it simply, carbon dots are a group of promising nanomaterials for the future.