Review of Phosphorescent Carbon Dots and Their Applications

Abstract

Room temperature phosphorescent (RTP) carbon dots (CDs) hold significant promise for applications in biology and materials science due to their impressive photostability and excellent biocompatibility. Nevertheless, the synthesis of RTP CDs presents several complex challenges, and their luminescent properties are highly susceptible to interference from external environmental factors. To improve the synthesis efficiency and resistance to interference of the RTP CDs, this review presents two approaches for synthesizing RTP CDs, including direct synthesis from raw materials and matrix-assisted synthesis. Additionally, an optimized strategy for enhancing RTP emission is proposed, focusing on promoting intersystem crossing (ISC) of singlet excitons and suppressing non-radiative transitions, which aids in understanding the mechanism of room temperature phosphorescence. The applications of RTP CDs in areas such as detection, biomedicine, and imaging are also reviewed. The aim of this article is to serve as a reference for advancing the understanding and synthesis of efficient RTP CDs.