Carbon dots properties

Papaginnouli I, Bourlinos AB, Bakandritsos A, Couris S. Nonlinear optical properties of colloidal carbon nanoparticles nanodiamonds and carbon dots. RSC Adv 2014 4(76) 40152-60. 

The inactivity in the molecule is due to the fact that it is perfectly symmetric as shown by the dotted line, the upper half exactly coinciding with the lower half. Therefore, molecular asymmetry and not the presence of asymmetric carbon atoms is responsible for optical activity. Since the term asymmetric has been found to be inadequate, now the term chirality has been introduced. The word chiral (the Greek word cheir means hand pronounced kiral) signifies, the property of Handedness . An object that in not superimposable upon its mirror image is chiral and this mirror-image relationship is the same as left hand has with the right. If an object and its mirror image can be made to coincide in space, they are said to be achiral. 

Under electron irradiation (or by other mechanisms) it is possible to generate carbon vacancies leading to the formation of extended defect domains (with the presence of pentagonal and heptagonal, and even four-membered carbon rings) showing semiconductor character. This is the mechanism of formation of semiconductor properties in quantum-dot carbon nanoparticles or graphene nanoribbon. The mechanism... 

Nanomaterials can also be applied to glucose biosensors to enhance the properties of the sensors and, therefore, can lead to smaller sensors with higher signal outputs. Carbon nanotubes have been incorporated in previously developed sensors and seen to increase the peak currents observed by threefold.89 Platinum nanoparticles and single-wall carbon nanotubes have been used in combination to increase sensitivity and stability of the sensor.90,91 CdS quantum dots have also been shown to improve electron transfer from glucose oxidase to the electrode.92,93 Yamato et al. dispersed palladium particles in a polypyrrole/sulfated poly(beta-hydro-xyethers) and obtained an electrode response at 400 mV, compared to 650 mV, at a conventional platinum electrode.94... 

FOM in the paper, calculated at 1 cm depth, suggest the advantage of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and quantum dot (QDOT) systems over all organic materials, though indocyanine green (ICG) also exhibited reasonable properties. 

A detailed discussion of experimental in vitro and in vivo testing methodologies and results is not the purpose of this chapter. There are some comprehensive reviews covering this topic. For instance, the contribution by Oberdorster et al. [45] who have summarized recent data and highlighted gaps in this field two works [60, 61] review data on environmental and human effects of carbon nanotubes in relation to their properties a paper [62] that discusses toxicological endpoints of combustion-derived nanoparticles a review [63] of quantum dots toxicity an excellent review devoted to toxicity of particular nanomaterials classes by Borm et al. [26] and many others. 

CNTs and other nano-sized carbon structures are promising materials for bioapplications, which was predicted even previous to their discovery. These nanoparticles have been applied in bioimaging and drag delivery, as implant materials and scaffolds for tissue growth, to modulate neuronal development and for lipid bilayer membranes. Considerable research has been done in the field of biosensors. Novel optical properties of CNTs have made them potential quantum dot sensors, as well as light emitters. Electrical conductance of CNTs has been exploited for field transistor based biosensors. CNTs and other nano-sized carbon structures are considered third generation amperometric biosensors, where direct electron transfer between the enzyme active center and the transducer takes place. Nanoparticle functionalization is required to achieve their full potential in many fields, including bio-applications. 

FIGURE 1. The visible spectral properties of flavocytochrome P450 BM3. The oxidised (solid line) and reduced/carbon monoxide-bound (dotted line) forms of the haemoprotein are shown. The protein concentration is 2.7 pM. The major (Soret) band of P450 BM3 is at 419 nm in the oxidised form, and shifts to 450 nm in the sodium dithionite-reduced/CO-bound form. 

---