Volume 18, Issue 2 2102683
Review

Synthesis, Applications, and Prospects of Graphene Quantum Dots: A Comprehensive Review

Ahmadreza Ghaffarkhah

Ahmadreza Ghaffarkhah

Nanomaterials and Polymer Nanocomposites Laboratory, School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7 Canada

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Ehsan Hosseini

Ehsan Hosseini

Nanomaterials and Polymer Nanocomposites Laboratory, School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7 Canada

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Milad Kamkar

Milad Kamkar

Nanomaterials and Polymer Nanocomposites Laboratory, School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7 Canada

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Ali Akbari Sehat

Ali Akbari Sehat

Nanomaterials and Polymer Nanocomposites Laboratory, School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7 Canada

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Sara Dordanihaghighi

Sara Dordanihaghighi

Nanomaterials and Polymer Nanocomposites Laboratory, School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7 Canada

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Ahmad Allahbakhsh

Ahmad Allahbakhsh

Department of Materials and Polymer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran

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Colin van der Kuur

Colin van der Kuur

ZEN Graphene Solutions, 210–1205 Amber Dr., Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 6M4 Canada

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Mohammad Arjmand

Corresponding Author

Mohammad Arjmand

Nanomaterials and Polymer Nanocomposites Laboratory, School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7 Canada

E-mail: [email protected]

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First published: 22 September 2021
Citations: 99

Abstract

Graphene quantum dot (GQD) is one of the youngest superstars of the carbon family. Since its emergence in 2008, GQD has attracted a great deal of attention due to its unique optoelectrical properties. Non-zero bandgap, the ability to accommodate functional groups and dopants, excellent dispersibility, highly tunable properties, and biocompatibility are among the most important characteristics of GQDs. To date, GQDs have displayed significant momentum in numerous fields such as energy devices, catalysis, sensing, photodynamic and photothermal therapy, drug delivery, and bioimaging. As this field is rapidly evolving, there is a strong need to identify the emerging challenges of GQDs in recent advances, mainly because some novel applications and numerous innovations on the ease of synthesis of GQDs are not systematically reviewed in earlier studies. This feature article provides a comparative and balanced discussion of recent advances in synthesis, properties, and applications of GQDs. Besides, current challenges and future prospects of these emerging carbon-based nanomaterials are also highlighted. The outlook provided in this review points out that the future of GQD research is boundless, particularly if upcoming studies focus on the ease of purification and eco-friendly synthesis along with improving the photoluminescence quantum yield and production yield of GQDs.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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