Zero-Dimensional Carbon Nanomaterials for Fluorescent Sensing and Imaging.

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology and Materials Science
• Chemistry
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Carbon-based nanomaterials, particularly zero-dimensional structures like carbon dots and fullerenes, exhibit unique optical and bioaffinity properties.
• These properties make them highly suitable for environmental and biological sensing, imaging, and therapeutic applications.
• Recent advancements have spurred significant interest in their development and utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a systematic overview of zero-dimensional carbon nanomaterials.
• To cover their classification, structural properties, design principles, and preparation methods.
• To highlight their optical properties and diverse sensing applications.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on zero-dimensional carbon nanomaterials.
• Systematic classification and analysis of structural and optical properties.
• Exploration of synthesis strategies and application-driven design principles.

Main Results:

• Detailed examination of fullerenes, carbon nano-onions, carbon nanodiamonds, and carbon dots.
• Highlighting breakthroughs in sensitive and selective sensing of pollutants and biomolecules.
• Showcasing applications in advanced imaging (super-resolution, photoacoustic) and therapeutic delivery.

Conclusions:

• Zero-dimensional carbon nanomaterials are versatile platforms for advanced applications.
• Future prospects include overcoming challenges in design, development, and specific application integration.
• This review provides a foundation for developing novel fluorescent sensors for various research fields.