Multi-functional carbon dots: A systematic overview

Abstract

Carbon dots (CDs) have emerged as a potential material in the multifarious fields of biomedical applications due to their numerous advantageous properties including tunable fluorescence, water solubility, biocompatibility, low toxicity, small size and ease of modification, inexpensive scale-up production, and versatile conjugation with other targeted nanoparticles. Thus, CDs became a preferable choice in various biomedical applications such as nanocarriers for drugs, therapeutic genes, photo sensitizers, unique electronic, fluorescent, photo luminescent, chemiluminescent, and electro chemiluminescent, drug/gene delivery and optoelectronics properties are what gives them potential in sensing and antibacterial molecules. Further, their potentials have also been verified in multifunctional diagnostic platforms, cellular and bacterial bio-imaging, development of nanomedicine, etc. This present review provides a concise insight into the progress and evolution in the field of carbon dots research with respect to synthesis methods and materials available in bio-imaging, theranostic, cancer, gene therapy, diagnostics, etc. Further, our discussion is extended to explore the role of CDs in nanomedicine and nano theranostic, biotherapy which is the future of biomedicine and also serves to discuss the various properties of carbon dots which allow chemotherapy and gene therapy to be safer and more target-specific, resulting in the reduction of side effects experienced by patients and also the overall increase in patient compliance and quality of life and representative studies on their activities against bacteria, fungi, and viruses reviewed and discussed. This study will thus help biomedical researchers in percuss the potential of CDs to overcome various existing technological challenges.