A comprehensive review on luminescent carbon dots and their polymer composites: Synthesis to applications

Abstract

Due to their distinct versatility and application qualities, carbon dots (CDs) and their composite materials have become promising luminous materials in a variety of industries. We give a comprehensive summary of current progress in the synthesis, characterization, and uses of carbon dots and their composites in luminescence and other domains in this review. This review focuses on the types of carbon dots and characterization methods used to investigate different properties like luminescence, including time-resolved spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Additionally, different techniques for creating carbon dots, such as top-down and bottom-up procedures, as well as how precursor materials, surface passivation, doping, and size management affect the luminous properties of carbon dots are all discussed. The next section focuses on formation of carbon dots/polymer composite materials. Additionally, we go over how to create and design these composites, emphasizing how to improve their usefulness, stability, and luminous qualities. Further, we provide a thorough overview of the uses for carbon dots and their composites in the area of luminescence, including those for LEDs, sensors, displays, and biomedicine. Carbon dots have many properties like low toxicity, photostability, biocompatibility, and tunable emission wavelengths, that make them desirable candidates for various applications. In addition, we emphasize the most recent debates and views in the area of carbon dots and their composites for luminous applications. A thorough understanding of the synthesis, characterization, and uses of carbon dots and carbon dots composite materials in luminescence and other domains is what this paper aims to accomplish. For those working in the fields of nanomaterials, optoelectronics, and photonics who want to exploit the potential of carbon dots and their composites for creating improved luminous materials and devices, it is a useful resource.