Applications of Carbon Dots in Ion Sensing

Abstract

At present, different synthesis methods have been developed for the fabrication of pure or doped CDs with different structures and properties, which promotes the constant optimization of analysis performance. However, the fluorescence mechanism of CDs has not been completely solved, which hinders its further application in ion detection; more theoretical and experimental work, and a combination of the two, is needed. For the analysis of ions based on CDs, we believe that it will be exciting if CDs with novel surface modification are used to probe other ions that have not been reported, which will be helpful for biological processes and exploiting solar energy etc. Moreover, it is an ultimate goal that CD-based sensors can be constructed efficiently for the rapid, exact, sensitive and selective sensing of ions, which can be applied in situ in the real environment with satisfactory results and be further commercialized. Finally, we are also optimistic about the development of CDs in other fields, for example, cancer therapy, bioimaging, electrocatalysis, and photocatalysis, etc.