Invited
Carbon-dot/polymer composites: Unique properties and applications

Carbon dots (C-dots) are carbonaceous nanoparticles exhibiting unique fluorescence properties. In this talk I will describe our recent work on C-dot/polymer composites. Specifically, self-healing C-dot/polymer gels will be discussed, in which the C-dots both constitute the gel cross linkers as well as fluorescent reporters on the physico-chemical properties. Yet in another intriguing elastic C-dot/polymer system, The embedded C-dots provided a unique strain/stress sensing mechanism. Overall, this talk will introduce C-dots as a powerful vehicle for new materials and new sensing applications.