Rapid and Large‐Scale Production of Multi‐Fluorescence Carbon Dots by a Magnetic Hyperthermia Method

Cytocompatible Amphipathic Carbon Quantum Dots as Potent Membrane-Active Antibacterial Agents with Low Drug Resistance and Effective Inhibition of Biofilm Formation

It is very challenging to design nanomaterials with both excellent antibacterial activity and cytocompatibility when facing bacterial infection. Here, inspired by antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), we fabricate carbon quantum dots (CQDs) derived from hydrophobic tryptophan and hydrophilic lysine or arginine (Lys/Trp-CQDs and Arg/Trp-CQDs), which possess amphipathic properties. These CQDs could effectively destroy bacterial membranes without developing resistance, inhibit biofilms formed by Staphylococcus aureus, and exhibit good in vitro biocompatibility. The antibacterial activities are caused by not only surface cationic structures and excess intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by the CQDs but also the effects of the surface hydrophobic groups. These combined mechanisms of actions lead to bacterial membrane disruption, which raises the hope for combating bacterial infection without concern about drug resistance. What's more, the effect of amphiphilicity on balancing sterilization with biocompatibility expands the research ideas for developing available antibacterial nanomaterials.

Aggregation-Induced Emissive Carbon Dots Gels for Octopus-Inspired Shape/Color Synergistically Adjustable Actuators

Some living organisms such as the octopus have fantastic abilities to simultaneously swim away and alter body color/morphology for disguise and self-protection, especially when there is a threat perception. However, it is still quite challenging to construct artificial soft actuators with octopus-like synergistic shape/color change and directional locomotion behaviors, but such systems could enhance the functions of soft robotics dramatically. Herein, we proposed to utilize unique hydrophobic carbon dots (CDs) with rotatable surficial groups to construct the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) active glycol CDs polymer gel, which could be further employed to be interfacially bonded to an elastomer to produce anisotropic bilayer soft actuator. When putting the actuator on a water surface, glycol spontaneously diffused out from the gel layer to allow water intake, resulting in a color change from a blue dispersion fluorescence to red AIE and a shape deformation, as well as a large surface tension gradient that can promote its autonomous locomotion. Based on these findings, artificial soft swimming robots with octopus-like synergistic shape/color change and directional swimming motion were demonstrated. This study provides an elegant strategy to develop advanced multi-functional bio-inspired intelligent soft robotics.

Fluorescent Carbon Dots: Fantastic Electroluminescent Materials for Light-Emitting Diodes

Fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) have emerged as fantastic luminescent nanomaterials with significant potentials on account of their unique photoluminescence properties, high stability, and low toxicity. The application of CDs in electroluminescent light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have aroused much interest in recent years. Herein, the state-of-the-art advances of CD-based electroluminescent LEDs are summarized, in which CDs act as active emission layer and interface transport layer materials is discussed and highlighted. Besides, the device structure of CD-based LEDs and preparation methods of CDs are also introduced. Furthermore, the opportunities and challenges for achieving high performance CD-based electroluminescent LED devices are presented. This review article is expected to stimulate more unprecedented achievements derived from CDs and CD-based electroluminescent LEDs, thus further promoting their practical applications in future solid-state lighting and flat-panel displays.

The Rapid and Large-Scale Production of Carbon Quantum Dots and their Integration with Polymers

Carbon quantum dots (CDs) have inspired vast interest because of their excellent photoluminescence (PL) performances and their promising applications in optoelectronic, biomedical, and sensing fields. The development of effective approaches for the large-scale production of CDs may greatly promote the further advancement of their practical applications. In this Minireview, the newly emerging methods for the large-scale production of CDs are summarized, such as microwave, ultrasonic, plasma, magnetic hyperthermia, and microfluidic techniques. The use of the available strategies for constructing CD/polymer composites with intriguing solid-state PL is then described. Particularly, the multiple roles of CDs are emphasized, including as fillers, monomers, and initiators. Moreover, typical applications of CD/polymer composites in light-emitting diodes, fluorescent printing, and biomedicine are outlined. Finally, we discuss current problems and speculate on their future development.