Rare earth-doped carbon dots: structural classification, synthesis strategies, and biomedical applications

The distinct qualities and broad spectrum of applications of carbon dots (CDs) make them an attractive class of carbon-based nanomaterials these are nanoscale materials, often fewer than 10 nanometres. Their interesting biological, electronics and chemical features make them useful for a variety of purposes like energy conversion, sensing, bioimaging and catalysis, plus several more. CDs are synthesised via either top-down or bottom-up techniques. The surface of CDs comprises modified oxygen, polymer-based or amino groups, which allow for an abundance of chemical modification. Rare earth elements (REE) are an ideal choice for doping with CDs, yielding a combination termed RE-CDs that can enhance luminescence characteristics, utility and quantum yields. By combing these two materials each of their properties will help in many aspects like technological and biomedical applications such as increased photo luminescence, targeted drug delivery, bio imaging of tumour cells, structure modification, etc in cancer studies the hybrid materials shows increased bio compatibility and low adverse effects which shows efficient cellular uptake and ROS for destroys cancer cells along that which acts a nanocarriers to deliver anti-cancer medications. In this review, we provide an in-depth analysis of the structure classification, synthesis methodologies, photoluminescent properties, and anticancer applications of CDs doped with REEs. Moreover, this review describes the current limitations and future outlooks to enhance the utilisation of RE-CDs in biomedical applications.