Opportunity and application of chiral carbon dots

Carbon dots (CDs), with the unique advantages of low cost, low toxicity, good photostability, and tunable photoluminescence, have achieved remarkable progress in terms of their controllable synthesis and application in the fields of optoelectronics and biomedicine. However, as an emerging type of chiral nanomaterial, chiral CDs (CCDs) are still at a primary research stage. In this review, we systematically summarize the recent developments in CCDs ranging from their chemical synthesis to the related structural engineering and their optical properties. Moreover, we highlight the recent progress regarding the use of CCDs in technological and biological applications. Finally, we conclude with a discussion regarding the current challenges and future research on the development of CCDs. We hope that this review will inspire more exciting research on CCDs from a new perspective and promote the practical applications of CCDs in multiple current and future research directions.