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A study on the development of C-dots via green chemistry: a state-of-the-art review

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Abstract

Carbon dots (C-dots) are a developing subclass of nanomaterials which are characterized by a typical diameter of less than 10 nm. C-dots are a type of core–shell composites that feature a surface passivation with various functional groups, including amine, carboxyl, hydroxyl group, and a carbon core. Green C-dots, which have drawn a lot of interest from researchers due to their superior water solubility, excellent biocompatibility, and environmental-friendly behavior when compared to chemically generated C-dots, can be made from a variety of low-cost and renewable materials. Since green C-dots have heteroatoms on their surface in the form of carboxyl, amine, hydroxyl, or other functional groups, which can enhance their physicochemical characteristics, quantum yield (QY), and likelihood of visible light absorption, further surface passivation is not necessary. Green C-dots may find use in the areas of biosensing, catalysis, bioimaging, and gene and drug delivery. In this paper, the creation of C-dots was outlined, and its fluorescence process examined. This review represents the summary of synthesis, mechanism, properties, characterization, and applications of C-dots. This article aims at the green chemistry strategies for C-dot synthesis. Furthermore, a discussion on the applications of C-dots produced with green approaches is presented. The paper may help the researchers in the field to develop new C-dots with potential features to attract the attention of new applications.

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Data availability

The data are available from the corresponding author on resonable request.

Abbreviations

AFM:

Atomic force microscopy

AI:

Absorbance increase

b-PEI:

Branched polyethyleneimine

C13NMR:

Carbon 13 nuclear magnetic resonance

C-dots:

Carbon dots

CDHG:

Carbon dot hybrid gel

CDWG:

Carbon dot weak gel

CNPs:

Carbon nanoparticles

CQDs:

Carbon quantum dots

DLS:

Dynamic light scattering

DPM:

Diesel particulate matter

EACs:

Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells

ESM:

Eggshell membrane

FE-SEM:

Field emission scanning electron microscopy

FI:

Fluorescence increase

FQ:

Fluorescence quenching

FTIR:

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy

G:

2D reduced graphene

G-dots:

Green dots

GO:

Graphene oxide

HCD:

Hollow carbon dots

HPLC:

High-performance liquid chromatography

HR-TEM:

High-resolution electron microscopic transmission

N–C-dots:

Nitrogen-doped carbon dots

PL:

Photoluminescence

Q-dots:

Quantum dots

QY:

Quantum yield

S-C-dots:

Sulfur-doped carbon dots

SEM:

Scanning electron microscopy

TEM:

Transmission electron microscopy

WFO:

Waste frying oil

XPS:

X-ray photoelectron microscopy

XRD:

X-ray diffraction

ZnO–C-dots:

ZnO-loaded carbon dots

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the University Grant Commission (UGC), New Delhi (201819-NFO-2018-19-OBC-UTT-74058), for financial assistance.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, Chaudhary Charan Singh University Meerut, Meerut, 250004, India

    Nazia Tarannum, Km. Pooja, Manvi Singh & Anurag Panwar

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  1. Nazia Tarannum
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Tarannum, N., Pooja, K., Singh, M. et al. A study on the development of C-dots via green chemistry: a state-of-the-art review. Carbon Lett. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42823-024-00742-0

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