Preparation Strategies and Application Progress of Coal-Based Carbon Dots

Coal occupies a dominant position in China's energy structure and provides crucial support for the rapid development of the national economy. Coal and its derivatives possess advantages such as high carbon content, abundant reserves, and low cost, making them ideal carbon sources for the preparation of coal-based carbon dots (C-CDs). C-CDs not only inherit the excellent properties of traditional carbon dots, including tunable fluorescence emission, stable optoelectronic performance, good water solubility, and biocompatibility, but also possess advantages such as broad availability of raw materials and low preparation costs. This paper focuses on the application development of C-CDs in various fields, reviewing the research progress on carbon dots prepared from coal and coal derivatives as precursors. It systematically summarizes their main synthesis routes, performance characteristics, and application studies in areas such as analytical detection, optoelectronic devices, energy, and catalysis. This study aims to provide solid theoretical support for the directional preparation of high-performance C-CDs. By rationally selecting precursors and optimizing the preparation process, it achieves precise directional control over the structure and properties of C-CDs, promoting their development toward large-scale production, environmental friendliness, and enhanced performance. Simultaneously, it provides innovative technological impetus for the green transformation and upgrading of the coal industry.