CSIP: PRELIMS BOOSTER SERIES -162 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
NANOTECHNOLOGY: C DOTS
Nanotechnology is the use and the development of techniques to study physical phenomena and develop new material and devices structures in the physical size range from 1 to 100 nanometres (nm).
C DOTS
Carbon quantum dots also commonly called carbon dots (abbreviated as CQDs, C-dots or CDs) are carbon nanoparticles which are less than 10 nm in size and have some form of surface passivation(less easily corroded by environment)
As a new class of fluorescent carbon nanomaterials, CQDs possess the attractive properties of high stability, good conductivity, low toxicity, environmental friendliness, simple synthetic routes as well as comparable optical properties to quantum dots
APPLICATIONS
Bioimaging
CQDs can be used for bioimaging due to their fluorescence emissions and biocompatibility. By injecting solvents containing CQDs into a living body, images in vivo can be obtained for detection or diagnosis purposes
Sensing
CQDs were also applied in biosensing as biosensor carriers for their flexibility in modification, high solubility in water, nontoxicity, good photostability, and excellent biocompatibility. The biosensors based on CQD and CQs-based
materials could be used for visual monitoring of cellular copper, glucose, pH, trace levels of H2O2 and nucleic acid.
Drug delivery
The nontoxicity and biocompatibility of CQDs enable them with broad applications in biomedicine as drug carriers, fluorescent tracers as well as controlling drug release
Catalysis
The flexibility of functionalization with various groups CQDs makes them possible to absorb lights of different wavelengths, which offers good opportunities for applications in photocatalysis