Mohanaraman Shanmuga Priya, Chidambaram Ramalingam
Instrumental and Food Analysis Laboratory, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India.
Heliyon. 2024 Aug 8;10(16):e35760. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35760. eCollection 2024 Aug 30.
Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are an evolving class of carbon-based nanomaterial, seizing tremendous attention owing to their intense optical property, engineered shapes and structures, and good photostability. Being a zero-dimensional form of carbon structure, GQDs have superior photoluminescent behavior, tunable emission and absorption, excellent biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity, hydrophilic nature, modifying surface states. Their water dispersibility and functionalized surface structure, involving heteroatoms and various functional groups onto the surface of GQDs, make them particularly suitable for biological applications. Based on their absolute luminescence properties, GQDs emit blue, green, yellow, and red light under ultraviolet irradiation. Amongst the three colors, red luminescence can achieve deeper penetration of light into tissues, good cellular distribution, bio-sensing property, cell imaging, drug delivery, and serves as a better candidate for photodynamic therapy. The overall objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the synthesis methods for red fluorescence graphene quantum dots (RF-GQDs), critical comparative analyses of spectral techniques used for their characterization, the tunable photoluminescence mechanisms underpinning red emission, and the significance of chemically functionalizing GQDs' surface edges in achieving red fluorescence are discussed in depth. This review also discusses the effective biological applications and critical challenges associated with RF-GQDs are examined, providing insights into their future potential in clinical and industrial applications.
石墨烯量子点（GQDs）是一类不断发展的碳基纳米材料，因其强烈的光学性质、可设计的形状和结构以及良好的光稳定性而备受关注。作为碳结构的零维形式，GQDs具有优异的光致发光行为、可调谐的发射和吸收、出色的生物相容性、低细胞毒性、亲水性以及可修饰的表面状态。它们的水分散性和功能化表面结构，包括在GQDs表面引入杂原子和各种官能团，使其特别适用于生物应用。基于其绝对发光特性，GQDs在紫外线照射下可发出蓝色、绿色、黄色和红色光。在这三种颜色中，红色发光能够使光更深地穿透组织，具有良好的细胞分布、生物传感特性、细胞成像、药物递送功能，并且是光动力疗法的更佳候选材料。本综述的总体目标是全面概述红色荧光石墨烯量子点（RF-GQDs）的合成方法，对用于其表征的光谱技术进行关键的比较分析，深入探讨支撑红色发射的可调谐光致发光机制，以及化学功能化GQDs表面边缘在实现红色荧光方面的重要性。本综述还讨论了RF-GQDs的有效生物应用，并审视了与之相关的关键挑战，为其在临床和工业应用中的未来潜力提供见解。
