A facile and versatile approach to biocompatible "fluorescent polymers" from polymerizable carbon nanodots.

Highly fluorescent polymerizable carbon nanodots (PCNDs), synthesized by microwave assisted pyrolysis and subsequent surface vinylation, were copolymerized with several model monomers to form different functional fluorescent polymeric materials in solution or the solid-state, indicating a simple and versatile approach to novel fluorescent polymer materials.