Electrochemiluminescence of carbon-based quantum dots

Carbon-based quantum dots, including carbon and graphene dots, with exceptional optical, electrical, and chemical properties, have widely attracted interests in various applications such as drug delivery and gene transfer, biological imaging, sensing, food safety, photodynamic/photothermal therapy, and energy applications. Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensors based on carbon and graphene dots have demonstrated promising potential and quick progress recently and have also found fantastic achievements. Deep insight into the applications of carbon and graphene dots in ECL sensing platforms will benefit the design of advanced sensors in the future. In this chapter, a general description of the basic ECL mechanisms, a brief description of carbon and graphene dots synthesis and characterization, and application of them in ECL sensing of various targets like metal ions, proteins, DNA, small molecules, and cells are discussed.