Revolutionize the chemistry of carbon dots by sulfur doping: a review

Sulfur doped carbon dots (SCDs) are being evolved as one of the rising stars due to their marvelous properties i.e. distinctive physical and chemical features, stability, ease of synthesis, cost-effectiveness and green nature, which make them suitable for their wide applications in various fields, including sensing, bio-medical, photocatalysis, corrosion inhibition, food safety, etc. The introduction of sulfur containing groups in addition to natural surface moieties such as –C = O, –COOH, –OH, –OR etc. enables them as a potential candidate for above-mentioned applications. This review targets the role of SCDs in various applications and the chemistry behind these applications. Furthermore, SCDs have also been critically evaluated for their limitations for future improvements.