Recent advances in the construction and analytical applications of carbon dots-based optical nanoassembly

Recently, more and more attention has been focused on the construction and analytical applications of optical nanoassembly through combining carbon dots (CDs) with various other functional nanomaterials. The rational design and manufacture of CDs-based optical nanoassembly will be critical to meeting the needs of analytical science. The last decade has witnessed the immense potential of CDs-based optical nanoassembly in multiple sensing applications owing to their controlled optical properties, adjustable surface chemistry and microscopic morphology. This feature article collects the recent advances in the research and development of CDs-based optical nanoassembly and their applications in analytical sensors, aiming to provide vital insights and suggestions to inspire their broad sensing applications. [Display omitted] •Optical nanoassembly combining CDs with various other functional nanomaterials displays outstanding sensing performance.•The construction and analytical applications of CDs-based optical nanoassembly have been summarized.•The advances, limitations and future aspects of CDs-based optical nanoassembly are discussed.