ABSTRACT
C-dots are very new members of the carbon family, which includes fullerenes, nanotubes, nano diamonds, carbon nanofibers, graphemes and other allotropes. Compared to challenges faced by heavy metals and quantum dots, quasi-spherical carbon nanomaterials have tremendous potential as C-dots, such as unique and superior properties like prominent biocompatibility, high water solubility, optimal performance for energy conservation, good photo-stability, photo-luminescent characteristics, ease of industrial scale-up and low production cost, enabling them to be exploited as an alternative material in several biomedical research applications, such as sensing, photocatalysis, bio-imaging, gene delivery and drug delivery, etc. Semiconductor quantum dots were used for a bio-imaging probe, but nowadays C-dots are a good alternative for semiconductor quantum dots, owing to high performance, good biocompatibility and low toxicity. Semiconductor quantum dots contain heavy metal ions. Even the presence of a low concentration would be hazardous to human health. Doping of C-dots with hetroatom, functionalization or passivation improves quantum yield and photoluminescent properties, which is useful to enhance its area of application in drug delivery and bio-imaging applications.
This chapter discusses properties, the synthesis process, biomedical applications and advancement in the field of C-dots as a unique and potential carbon nanomaterial.
