Chem. J. Chinese Universities

Cover and Content of Chemical Journal of Chinese Universities Vol.46 No.6(2025)

2025, 46(6): 1-6.

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Research Progress on the Mechanism， Synthesis and Application of Solid-state Luminescent Carbon Dots

PAN Zhuohan, AI Lin, LU Siyu

2025, 46(6): 20250081. doi:10.7503/cjcu20250081

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As a 0-dimensional carbon nanomaterial with excellent optical properties， carbon dots（CDs） has been widely used in optoelectronic devices， biological imaging and other fields. However， due to the resonance energy transfer and π-π accumulation caused by the aggregation of solid CDs， the solid emission quenching has greatly hindered its application as phosphors. So the researchers explored a variety of ways to obtain solid-state luminescent CDs. In this paper， the mechanism， classification and research progress of solid-state luminescence CDs are reviewed， and the latest application fields of solid-state luminescence CDs are introduced. Finally， the difficulties and future challenges in the preparation of solid-state luminescent CDs are presented.

Recent Advances in Carbon Dots with Near-infrared Absorption/Emission

LIU Yupeng, YANG Junxiang, HAO Yiming, QU Songnan

2025, 46(6): 20240070. doi:10.7503/cjcu20240070

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Carbon dots（CDs） are an emerging class of zero-dimensional carbon nano-optical materials that are as promising candidates for various applications. Compared with visible light， near-infrared light has deeper tissue penetration and lower scattering， giving it obvious advantages in fields such as biological imaging. Through the exploration of scientific researchers， the optical band gap of CDs has been continuously regulated and red-shifted from the initial blue-violet light to longer wavelengths. In recent years， CDs with near-infrared absorption/emission have been gradually reported. Based on a series of works by our research group on the near-infrared carbon dots， this review summarizes and reviews the latest progress in preparation strategies and applications of near-infrared carbon dots， and prospectively outlines the future development directions.

Correlation Between the Photoluminescene Mechanism and Structure of Carbon Dots

LIU Yize, LI Pengfei, SUN Zaicheng

2025, 46(6): 20250103. doi:10.7503/cjcu20250103

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As a novel class of zero-dimensional carbon-based nanomaterials， carbon dots（CDs） have demonstrated broad application prospects in bioimaging， optoelectronic devices， and environmental sensing due to their tunable luminescence， low toxicity， and versatile functionality. However， the luminescence mechanisms of CDs remain a central research focus owing to diverse synthesis methods， varied raw material sources， and complex composition-structure characteristics. The elusive nature luminescence mechanism has hindered the rational design and application of CDs with superior fluorescence performance. This article systematically investigates the correlation between the structural characteristics and luminescence mechanisms of CDs， with focused analysis on the roles of five core mechanisms： quantum confinement effect， effective conjugate length， surface-edge states， molecular states， and cross-link enhanced emission effects. The comprehensive analysis aims to provide theoretical guidance for the controlled synthesis and functional applications of CDs with superior fluorescence performance.

Applications and Prospects of Carbon Dots in Interface Engineering of Organic Solar Cells

WANG Xin, WANG Yu, MU Fumao, YAN Lingpeng, WANG Zhenguo, YANG Yongzhen

2025, 46(6): 20240416. doi:10.7503/cjcu20240416

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Organic solar cells（OSCs） have gradually become a research focus in the photovoltaic field due to their advantages， such as simple fabrication processes， diverse material sources， flexibility， and roll-to-roll production capability. However， as OSCs move toward further commercialization， they face challenges such as improving power conversion efficiency（PCE）， scaling up production， reducing costs， and enhancing stability. In addressing these issues， carbon dots（CDs） have garnered widespread attention due to their low cost， diverse structures， environmental friendliness， wide availability， high conductivity， and good stability. In OSC devices， CDs can be used as charge transport layers and interface modification materials， improving the energy level matching and charge transport performance at the cell interface through interface engineering， thereby enhancing the overall performance of OSCs and providing new insights for the development of photovoltaic cells. In this review， the concept， classification， and unique structural features of CDs are introduced. Then， the excellent tunable optoelectronic properties and functionalization modification methods of CDs are highlighted. Furthermore， the application of CDs in the field of interface engineering of OSCs is comprehensively summarized， and finally the challenges associated with CDs-based interface materials in OSCs， along with prospects for their further development， are addressed.

Research Progress of Carbon-based Moisture Power Generation Devices

LI Qijun, ZHAO Hongjia, LIU Longtao, LU Chunyi, TAN Jing

2025, 46(6): 20240413. doi:10.7503/cjcu20240413

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Moisture-enabled electricity generation（MEG）， an emerging energy-harvesting technology， has attracted significant attention in recent years. Owing to the ubiquitous presence of water vapor and the pollution-free nature of the power generation process， MEG technology demonstrates strong adaptability， that is， it is not limited by natural conditions such as season， region and environment. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the evolution of MEG technology. It discusses the interaction mechanism between moisture and power generation materials， primarily focusing on ion gradient diffusion and streaming potential. It also provides a detailed analysis of the types， characteristics， advantages and disadvantages of new carbon-based hygroscopic layer materials. Furthermore， it describes the development of moisture power generation technology in the latest application fields.

Aggregation Regulation-assisted Multicolor Carbon Nanodots Fluorescent Phosphor

LAI Xiaonan, SHEN Chenglong, SHAN Chongxin

2025, 46(6): 20240407. doi:10.7503/cjcu20240407

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Carbon nanodots（CDs） with concentration-dependent fluorescence were synthesized with citric acid and urea as precursors in N，N-dimethylformamide through solvothermal strategy. The CDs solution was diluted with deionized water at various ratios. The energy transfer between the CDs particles gradually weakened when the dilution ratio increased， leading to a shift in fluorescence color from red to blue and an enhancement in emission intensity. A systematic investigation on the concentration effects on the fluorescence emission properties of CDs were conducted with a chromatography separation techniques， revealing that the as-prepared CDs solution contained the multicolor components and the fluorescence variations in CDs solutions were attributed to Förster resonance energy transfer and reabsorption energy transfer. Thus， the precise regulation of multicolor CDs phosphors was further achieved with the starch as confined matrix to regulate the energy transfer between CDs. These findings present a new strategy to regulate the optical properties of CDs and pave a new insight the applications of fluorescence labeling and display technology.

Hypoxia Activated Chemotherapy Drug AQ4N and Carbon Dots Self-assembly for Chemotherapy Combined with Sonodynamic Therapy of Tumors

PANG E, TANG Yuanyu, ZHAO Shaojing, CHENG Qiang, WANG Chen, CHEN Jianmin, LAN Minhuan

2025, 46(6): 20240489. doi:10.7503/cjcu20240489

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A red fluorescent carbon dots（CDs） with sonodynamic activity were synthesized， and the CDs@AQ4N nano-assemblies were prepared by assembling the hypoxia-activating drug AQ4N， with CDs via electrostatic interaction， hydrogen bonding， and π-π interactions. CDs@AQ4N could effectively generate singlet oxygen（¹O₂） for sonodynamic therapy（SDT） of cancer cells. Moreover， the depletion of intra-tumor oxygen during SDT further exacerbated the tumor hypoxia， which activated AQ4N and converted it into cytotoxic AQ4， enabling fluorescence-imaging-guided combination of SDT and chemotherapy for the treatment of mice tumors. The excellent biosafety of CDs@AQ4N was confirmed by mouse major organ sections， blood routine and blood biochemical analyses.

Sodium Storage Performance of Mixed-phase Sodium Titanate Tuned by Carbon Dots

LI Dan, HU Honghui, HOU Hongshuai, ZHANG Sheng, LIU Lijie, JING Mingjun, WU Tianjing

2025, 46(6): 20240356. doi:10.7503/cjcu20240356

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Na₂Ti₃O₇ and Na₂Ti₆O₁₃ are two typical titanate-based sodium-storage materials， featuring the high theoretical capacity and favorable structure stability， respectively. Regulating the ratio of them in the composite material is the key to strengthen its electrochemical characteristics. Herein， based on the high specific surface area and abundant surface functional groups of carbon dots（CDs）， sodium titanate precursors containing CDs were in situ prepared by one-step hydrothermal method. After the thermal conversion of the precursors， a composite material（NNTO/C） of Na₂Ti₃O₇ and Na₂Ti₆O₁₃ was obtained， containing conductive carbon derived from CDs. The introduction of conductive carbon not only adjusts the composition ratio of the mixed phases， but also provides a small charge transfer impedance（R_ct， 7.48 Ω） and a big specific surface area（100.8 m²/g）. As a result， NNTO/C composites exhibit better sodium storage behavior while playing the synergistic interaction of mixed phases. When employed as the anode， after 200 cycles at 0.05 A/g， NNTO/C still maintains a specific capacity of 143.8 mA‧h/g. After 400 cycles at 1.00 A/g， the specific capacity remains as high as 108 mA‧h/g. This study suggests an innovative thinking for designing two-phase structures of electrode materials and the greater use of CDs in electrochemical energy storage.

Antioxidative Carbon Dots Improving Acute Liver Injury Induced by Acetaminophen

LI Yan, CAI Hao, BI Hong

2025, 46(6): 20240130. doi:10.7503/cjcu20240130

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Acetaminophen（APAP） is a drug used to treat headaches and fever symptoms， and its metabolites deplete glutathione（GSH） in the liver and cause oxidative stress. Taking large amounts of APAP in a short period of time can lead to liver failure. Yellow-emissive carbon dots（D-CDs） with strong antioxidant ability and good biocompatibility were synthesized by one-step hydrothermal method using catechol（CAT） and 2，5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid（DHTA） as precursors. In the APAP-induced zebrafish liver injury model， in vivo imaging showed that D-CDs could be effectively enriched in the zebrafish liver. The superoxide dismutase（SOD） activity and GSH content was increased and the content of malondialdehyde（MDA） was reduced， which finally effectively improved APAP- induced oxidative stress injury in zebrafish.

Preparation and Applications of CO₂-Derived Red-emissive Carbon Dots with a High Quantum Yield

GUO Dan, HUANG Genghong, BAI Huijie, WANG Yaling, CAO Guangqun, LIU Bin, HU Shengliang

2025, 46(6): 20250091. doi:10.7503/cjcu20250091

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A five-membered cyclic carbonate compound， tris（hydroxymethyl）propyl pentacyclic carbonate（TPTE）， was synthesized using CO₂ and trihydroxymethylpropane triglycidyl ether as starting materials via cycloaddition reaction. Subsequently， red-emissive carbon dots（R-CDs） with a quantum yield of 38% were prepared through a solvothermal method using TPTE and o-phenylenediamine as precursors and ethanol as the solvent. Structural characterization revealed that the obtained R-CDs exhibited an average particle size of 9.41 nm， with a highly graphitized carbon core and surface-rich hydroxyl and amino functional groups. Optical performance testing demonstrated that the R-CDs in ethanol solution displayed distinct excitation-independent characteristics， showing three-fingered emission peaks at 599， 648 and 702 nm under excitation at 535 nm， accompanied by a fluorescence lifetime of 6.46 ns. Theoretical calculations and spectroscopic analyses confirmed that these luminescent properties originated from extended π-conjugated systems within the carbon core inducing（π， π^*） transitions. Notably， when combined with polyvinylpyrrolidone（PVP）， the ultraviolet-visible absorption and fluorescence emission characteristics of R-CDs remained essentially unchanged， indicating negligible electronic interactions between PVP matrices and R-CDs. Leveraging their excellent optical properties， R-CDs/PVP composites were employed as phosphors integrated with a 360 nm ultraviolet LED chip to fabricate red-emitting devices. The prepared LED exhibited CIE chromaticity coordinates of （0.42， 0.21）， precisely falling within the red light region with high monochromaticity. Significantly， this research achieved efficient indirect fixation of CO₂ by converting it into functionalized cyclic carbonate precursors， providing an innovative approach for greenhouse gas valorization. This integrated strategy combining high-quantum-yield fluorescent material development with carbon reduction technology holds substantial application potential in optoelectronic devices and green chemistry.

Colorimetric and Fluorescence Determination of Glucose Based on Cell-derived Fluorescent Carbon Dots

LIU Yingqi, WANG Yemei, JIANG Kai, ZHENG Fenfen, ZHU Junjie

2025, 46(6): 20240386. doi:10.7503/cjcu20240386

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Cell derived fluorescent carbon points（CDs） were synthesized via one step hydrothermal method. It is found that the CDs have excellent peroxide-like catalytic activity， which can catalyze the hydrogen peroxide to produce hydroxyl radical. Based on this， the hydrogen peroxide produced by glucose oxidation and CDs could consecutively oxidize p-phenylenediamine（PPD） to produce PPDox［2，5-Diamino-N，N′-di-（4-aminophenyl）-2，5-cyclohexadiene-1，4-diimine］. By virtue of the inner filer effect of PPDox on CDs， a dual-mode colorimetric and fluorescent detection of glucose was establised. The limit of detection of the present assay are 41 µmol/L and 13 µmol/L for the colorimetric method and the fluorescence method， respectively. In this work， CDs can not only be used as a peroxide-like enzyme to catalyze hydrogen peroxide to produce hydroxyl radical for PPD oxidation， but also be used as a fluorescent indicator to indicate the change of glucose concentration through the internal filtration effect.

Synthesis， Fluorescence Mechanism and Patterning of Green-emissive Carbon Dots

YANG Chunyuan, CHEN Hao, ZHANG Pan, LI Fucheng, YUAN Weixiong, GUO Jiazhuang, WANG Caifeng, CHEN Su

2025, 46(6): 20250093. doi:10.7503/cjcu20250093

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In this study， green-emissive carbon dots（G-CDs1） were prepared using salicylic acid and ethylenediamine as precursors through a hydrothermal method， followed by purification via dialysis and column chromatography. G-CDs1 exhibited an emission wavelength of 518 nm and a photoluminescence quantum yield（PLQY） of 22.3%. Structural characterization revealed that G-CDs1 possess a graphitic carbon core and abundant surface functional groups（—OH， —COOH， —NH₂）. Comparative experiments were designed： first， blue-emissive carbon cores were obtained by hydrothermally treating salicylic acid alone； then， these cores were reacted with ethylenediamine to produce green-emissive carbon dots（G-CDs2）. Comparative analysis showed that G-CDs2 and G-CDs1 shared identical fluorescence properties and structural features， revealing a “carbon core-fluorophore” synergistic emission mechanism， where green-emissive fluorophores were generated through defect passivation or surface reaction with ethylenediamine， jointly contributing to the fluorescence emission together with the carbon core. Consequently， a G-CDs1/polyvinylpyrrolidone（PVP） fluorescent ink composite was developed， enabling printed patterns with bright green fluorescence. This research contributes to the development of controllable synthesis， fluorescence mechanism， and applications of carbon dots.

Preparation of Carbon Dots Fluorescent Marker and Its Application in Highly Selective NO₂^‒ Detection

WANG Changying, ZHANG Dawei, CHEN Guanji, ZHANG Zhenwei, XIAO Weihong, WANG Bin, CHEN Qidan, YANG Bai

2025, 46(6): 20240519. doi:10.7503/cjcu20240519

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In this work， the yellow-green carbon dots（λ_ex=440 nm） with a fluorescence emission wavelength of 535 nm were prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method using dopamine hydrochloride and o-phenylenediamine as raw materials， and then used as fluorescent marker materials for NO₂^‒ detection in water samples after purified and separated. The size of the carbon dots is about 3 nm with good dispersion， excellent salt resistance， stable fluorescence under a broad pH value. However， nitrite contaminants in water sources can cause methemoglobinemia disease and has potential carcinogenic risk. The results of the selectivity of the yellow-green carbon dots prepared to detect common contaminants in water samples showed that the carbon dots had a highly specific response to nitrite， and the detection limit was 0.1166 μg/mL（S/N=3， n=3）， which meets the requirements of Chinese national standards for determination of NO₂^‒ in drinking water（≤1 μg/mL）. The detection range of 0—60 μg/mL fits the Stern-Volmer equation， and the range of 0—10 μg/mL（y=0.02x+0.000876， R²=0.9868） and 12—60 μg/mL（y=0.011x+0.198， R²=0.9937） have good linear responses. In addition， the recoveries of three spiked water samples are from 90.8% to 100.8%（RSD=0.03%—0.86%， n=3） for the validation test. The method of the fluorescent carbon dots marker for contaminants developed in this work is fast and simple， low-cost and has greatly potential in trace nitrite analysis and can be an effective supplementary method for the monitoring of drinking water sources quality.

Microwave-assisted Synthesis of Water-soluble Red-emitting Carbon Dots Derived from Spinach Powder and Its Pb²⁺ Fluorescence Detection Application

JIANG Tingjie, CAO Jueran, YAO Shengfeng, SONG Jian, LI Na, CHEN Yongying, LI Wei, ZHANG Haoran, LEI Bingfu

2025, 46(6): 20250082. doi:10.7503/cjcu20250082

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In this study， water-soluble red carbon dots（R-CDs） were successfully synthesized via a microwave- assisted method using spinach powder as the carbon precursor. The optical properties， structural characteristics， and fluorescence regulation mechanisms of R-CDs were investigated. The results demonstrated that R-CDs exhibit uniform particle size distribution（3.62 nm）， long-wavelength red light emission（648 nm）， and a narrow full width at half maxima（FWHM）（30 nm）. The observed fluorescence redshift is attributed to the synergistic interaction between hydroxyl groups and graphitic-nitrogen. A fluorescent probe based on R-CDs was developed for highly selective detection of Pb²⁺ ions， with a linear response range of 0—40 nmol/L and a detection limit of 4.2 nmol/L （R²=0.990）. Further studies revealed that the interaction between Pb²⁺ and R-CDs is primarily governed by a dynamic quenching mechanism. This work provides a novel and environmentally friendly approach for the synthesis of red carbon dots and their application in heavy metal ion sensing.

Ordered Lithium Deposition on Lithium Metal Anode Controlled by Boron-doped Carbon Dots from Solid-state Synthesis

NI Jiawen, HUANG Zunhui, SONG Tianbing, MA Qianli, HE Tianle, ZHANG Xirong, XIONG Huanming

2025, 46(6): 20240185. doi:10.7503/cjcu20240185

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Boron-doped carbon dots（B-CDs） synthesized via solid-phase method were employed as electrolyte additives for lithium metal batteries. The carbon dots were prepared through the catalytic pyrolysis of carbon sources in air， highlighting high yield， efficiency， safety， and convenience. Synthesized from 1，3，5-trihydroxy-benzen and boric acid， the B-CDs exhibited excellent dispersibility in carbonate-based electrolytes. The doped boron atoms， serving as electron-deficient centers， could engage fluorinated anion groups through Lewis acid-base interactions， thus inducing uniform lithium-ion deposition on the lithium anode. At an additive concentration of 0.3 mg/mL， a lithium symmetric cell demonstrated stable cycling for 2500 h under a current density of 0.5 mA/cm² and a plating capacity of 0.5 mA·h/cm²， indicating that the carbon dot additive significantly enhanced the reversibility of lithium deposition/dissolution. When these carbon dots were incorporated into electrolytes of a LiFePO₄ full cell， an initial capacity of 144.4 mA·h/g was achieved， with a capacity retention of 95.1% after 100 cycles.

Preparation of Broad-spectrum UV Protection Carbon Dots for the Application of Sunscreen Absorber

CHEN Qidan, CHEN Guanji, YOU Shanmei, ZANG Xinyao, YANG Bai

2025, 46(6): 20240313. doi:10.7503/cjcu20240313

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Sunscreen absorber， the basic ultraviolet（UV） protection additives that absorb UV rays， is the active ingredient in sunscreen products. However， traditional sunscreen absorbers are known as organic and inorganic chemicals which have problems such as unknown toxicity for human health and environment， instability， poor water solubility， and a narrow range of UV absorption， the study of eco-friendly broad-spectrum sunscreen absorber materials is important for the application of sunscreen products. In recent years， carbon dots have shown good properties in the application of UV absorbers due to their chemistry stability， eco-friendly， excellent UV absorption efficiency. In this study， two kinds of carbon dots（named O-CDs and A-CDs， respectively） were prepared from dopamine hydrochloride and o-phenylenediamine， citric acid and urea independently by simple one-pot hydrothermal synthesis method， purified by column chromatography and then characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy（XPS）， transmission electron microscopy（TEM）， X-ray diffraction（XRD）， Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FTIR）， Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy（UV-Vis）， and fluorescence spectroscopy. The results showed that a broad-spectrum UV protection material named as B-CDs was developed by mixing O-CDs and A-CDs with the optimized mass ratio of 1∶1.5. In addition， the B-CDs were added as a broad-spectrum UV absorber to polyvinyl alcohol（PVA） solution to prepare the UV protection calligraphy ink， and the sunscreen effect stability of the ink was tested in a certain period（120 h）. The results indicated that the broad-spectrum carbon dots UV absorber is high- efficiency and stable， and carbon dots have the potential to be used as ideal photostable broad-spectrum UV absorber additives for sunscreen products.

Red-emissive Mitochondria-targeting Iron-doped Carbon Dots for Tumor Therapy via Peroxidase-mimicking Activity-induced Ferroptosis

XUE Xiaokuang, LI Jian, LIANG Huanyi, WANG Yiying, GE Jiechao

2025, 46(6): 20250094. doi:10.7503/cjcu20250094

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In this work， iron-doped carbon dots（Fe-CDs） with strong peroxidase-mimicking activity were synthesized for tumor-specific therapy. Their intrinsic red fluorescence enabled high-contrast cellular imaging， revealing preferential mitochondrial accumulation. In the acidic and hydrogen peroxide（H₂O₂）-rich tumor microenvironment， Fe-CDs catalyzed hydroxyl radical（•OH） generation， inducing oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation， ultimately triggering ferroptosis. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated potent tumor inhibition. Furthermore， Fe-CDs exhibited excellent biocompatibility with no significant systemic toxicity. By integrating fluorescence imaging and catalytic therapy， this study presents a promising nanoplatform for tumor treatment and ferroptosis research.

Regulating Trap Density and Energy Levels Through Boron Doping to Achieve Duration-tunable Afterglow from Carbon Dots for Dynamic Information Encryption

LI Fengshi, JIANG Kai, TONG Xinyuan, WU Yongjian, LIN Hengwei

2025, 46(6): 20240545. doi:10.7503/cjcu20240545

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A method for regulating the trap levels of matrix-free carbon dots（CDs） through boron（B） doping is demonstrated， significantly prolonging their afterglow duration. Further studies reveal that B is incorporated into the CDs in the forms of B—N and B—C bonds when the CDs are synthesized from 1，4-phenylenediboronic acid， sodium hydroxide， and melamine. The B content increases with the proportion of the B source（i.e.， 1，4-phenylenediboronic acid）. This process not only enhances the trap density in the CDs but also increases the energy level difference between the trap energy level and the excited triplet state. Moreover， the elevated levels of C=O and C=N bonds facilitate the generation of triplet excitons and intersystem crossing. As traps capture and store triplet excitons for gradual release， the afterglow lifetime of CDs is extended from 0.764 s to 1.224 s， effectively quadrupling the afterglow duration. Finally， based on variations in their afterglow durations， potential applications for information storage and encryption using these CDs are demonstrated.

Preparation of Carbon Dot-based Multicolor Room-temperature Phosphorescent Materials via Precursor Structure Regulation Strategies

LIU Jinkun, RAN Zhun, LIU Qingqing, LIU Yingliang, ZHUANG Jianle, HU Chaofan

2025, 46(6): 20240412. doi:10.7503/cjcu20240412

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In this paper， a simple precursor molecular structure regulation strategy was presented， and carbon dot-based composites with phosphorescent emission colors covering the visible light spectrum were prepared through an in situ calcination method using Al₂O₃ as a matrix and various small molecules as organic precursors. Transmission electron microscopy， Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy， X-ray diffraction， and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the successful growth of carbon dots within the Al₂O₃ matrix. Fluorescence spectroscopy tests indicated that the phosphorescent colors of the four CDs@Al₂O₃ composites were blue（454 nm）， green（520 nm）， orange（572 nm）， and red（632 nm）， with average lifetimes of 130.6， 293.6， 498.6， and 539.0 ms， respectively. The observed redshift in phosphorescent emission wavelength attributed to the decrease in the energy gap between the excited state and ground state of the carbon dots with increasing π-conjugation and number of oxygen-containing functional groups in the precursor， which achieved the modulation of multicolor phosphorescent emissions. Based on the multicolor room-temperature phosphorescent characteristics of this material， its applications in anti-counterfeiting and information encryption was preliminarily explored.

Active Shrinkage Hydrogel Based on Red Emissive Carbon Dots Photosensitizers for Bacterial Infected Wound Healing

HAO Yongliang, LI Jian, WANG Zehua, GE Jiechao

2025, 46(6): 20240409. doi:10.7503/cjcu20240409

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An active shrinkage hydrogel based on red emissive carbon dots（CDs） photosensitizers（PSs） was developed for bacterial infected wound healing. The hydrogel was prepared by using N-isopropylacrylamide （NIPAM）， sodium alginate（SA） and CDs PSs as precursors through free radical polymerization and calcium ion cross-linking. The hydrogel could release CDs PSs at body temperature（37 ℃） due to the active shrinkage of the hydrogel. Upon light irradiation， the released CDs PSs can generate singlet oxygen to kill bacteria effectively in the wound site leading to rapid wound healing. In vitro and in vivo results suggest that the developed active shrinkage hydrogel has good drug release， photodynamic antibacterial effects and the ability to accelerate wound healing， thus providing a new type of hydrogel for clinical wound management.

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