One step solvothermal synthesis of pure red emissive carbon dots from citric acid and urea in formic acid

Carbon dots (CDs) are a kind of zero-dimensional carbonaceous nanomaterial. Due to their ultra-small size (usually less than 10 nm), simple synthesis, low toxicity, well-documented biocompatibility, and outstanding luminescent properties, CDs have attracted wild applications, particularly in bioimaging and biomedical fields.