Carbon Dots (CDs) are carbon nanoparticles which were discovered in 2004. Despite two decades of intensive work from the scientific community and a colossal amount of gathered experimental data, no definitive consensus exists to date on several key aspects such as the actual definition of CDs and the origin of their emissive properties. This review proposes a critical evaluation of these fundamental questions. Lay persons will also find here an alternative introduction to the CDs domain, including synthetic strategies, photophysical properties, as well as challenges and outlook of this exciting new area.
Like in the novella by Antoine de Saint‐Exupéry where the narrator has difficulties drawing a sheep when asked by the Little Prince, anyone asked to draw a carbon dot knows to proceed with caution. An object which seems trivial is in fact far more complex when you need to draw an accurate picture. For more information, see the Review by X. Li, J. Claverie and co‐workers. (DOI: 10.1002/chem.202200748).
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