Simple Aqueous Solution Route to Luminescent Carbogenic Dots from Carbohydrates

A simple aqueous solution route has been developed for the preparation of luminescent carbogenic dots from carbohydrates. The optical properties of the carbogenic dots can be tuned by differing the starting materials or the duration of nitric acid treatment. The multicolor emission capability and potential nontoxic nature of these carbogenic dots should enable them to find a wide range of applications in life sciences research.