Since the past decade, enormous research efforts have been devoted to the detection/degradation and quantification of environmental toxic pollutants and biologically important molecules due to their ubiquitous necessity in the fields of environmental protection and human health. These fields of sensor and catalysis are advanced to a new era after emerging of nanomaterials, especially, carbon nanomaterials including graphene, carbon nanotube, carbon dots (C-dots), etc. Among them, the C-dots in the carbon family are rapidly boosted in the aspect of synthesis and application due to their superior properties of chemical and photostability, highly fluorescent with tunable, non/low-toxicity, and biocompatibility. The C-dot-based functional materials have shown great potential in sensor and catalysis fields for the detection/degradation of environmental pollutants. The major advantage of C-dots is that they can be easily prepared from numerous biomass/waste materials which are inexpensive and environment-friendly and are suitable for a developing trend of sustainable materials. This review is devoted to the recent development (since 2017) in the synthesis of biomass- and chemical-derived C-dots as well as diverse functionalization of C-dots. Their capability as a sensor and catalyst and respective mechanism are summarized. The future perspectives of C-dots are also discussed.

中文翻译：

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功能化碳点在传感和催化应用高效材料设计方面的最新进展。

自从过去的十年以来，由于在环境保护和人类健康领域中普遍存在对环境有毒污染物和生物学上重要的分子的检测/降解以及对它们的定量化，已经进行了大量的研究工作。随着纳米材料的出现，特别是包括石墨烯，碳纳米管，碳点（C-dots）等碳纳米材料的出现，传感器和催化的这些领域进入了一个新的时代。其中，碳族中的C-dots迅速发展。由于其优异的化学和光稳定性，具有可调光性，无毒/低毒和生物相容性的优异特性，在合成和应用方面得到了增强。基于碳点的功能材料在传感器和催化领域中显示出巨大的潜力，可用于检测/降解环境污染物。C-dots的主要优点是，它们可以很容易地由多种廉价/环保的生物质/废料制成，并且适合于可持续材料的发展趋势。这篇综述致力于自生物质和化学衍生C点的合成以及C点的各种功能化方面的最新进展（自2017年以来）。总结了它们作为传感器和催化剂的能力以及相应的机理。还讨论了碳点的未来前景。C-dots的主要优点是，它们可以很容易地由多种廉价/环保的生物质/废料制成，并且适合于可持续材料的发展趋势。这篇综述致力于自生物质和化学衍生C点的合成以及C点的各种功能化方面的最新进展（自2017年以来）。总结了它们作为传感器和催化剂的能力以及相应的机理。还讨论了碳点的未来前景。C-dots的主要优点是，它们可以很容易地由多种廉价/环保的生物质/废料制成，并且适合于可持续材料的发展趋势。这篇综述致力于自生物质和化学衍生C点的合成以及C点的各种功能化方面的最新进展（自2017年以来）。总结了它们作为传感器和催化剂的能力以及相应的机理。还讨论了碳点的未来前景。