Enhancing fluorescent nanocomposites: Strategies for interaction and interface modification of carbon dots with metal oxides

The development of nanocarbon-integrated ceramic composites is highly desired to improve the functionality of oxide-based materials, such as conductivity, catalytic activity, and optical and mechanical properties. Among nanocarbons, fluorescent nanocarbon materials with unique chemical/physical properties, known as carbon dots (C-dots), have received considerable attention in recent years. C-dots can be structurally controlled by surface modification and defect introduction in the carbon core, making them suitable for the synthesis of nanocomposite materials with ceramics. This review provides an overview of the synthetic design of nanocomposite materials with C-dots in semiconductor oxides and glass matrices using solution processes. In particular, interactions due to the microstructure of the matrix, the bonding-induced immobilization and dispersion of C-dots in the matrix, and physicochemical approaches to understanding the fluorescence factors of C-dots are described based on the changes in fluorescence properties.