On the Emission Properties of Carbon Dots: Reviewing Data and Discussing Models

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Please add descriptions of the results of the reprinted figures, and add explanations of the legends and abbreviations shown in the reprinted figures, because it is difficult for me outside my field of expertise to understand the intent that each figure was chosen.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

This review manuscript deals with a traditional but still interesting topic, which is to analyze the carbon dots emission properties. The authors did a great job when collecting the data and the results were well reviewed and explained. It is clear and helps justifying the objective of the review, which is desired.

However, some of the figures must be improved to help the readers quickly understand the topics.

The resolution of almost all the figures reprinted from references are not clear enough, the authors have to reprint them with a higher quality. In figure 2, the legend CDNP, CDN and CDB are not explained in the figure description. In figure 3(a) and (b), the meaning of label A-G is not indicated, and the excitation wavelength as well. The data are supposed to come from fluorescence spectra. It should be indicated. In figure 3(d), what’s the meaning of the blue dots? And the corresponding excitation wavelength? In figure 4, it should get an AFM images involved as the main text state in line 195 and remove one of the TEM images. In figure 6, what’s the “B/G/Y/O/R – BF-CQDs” stand for? At least the sizes of these different CQDs need to be mentioned.

As the title of section 3 “Structural and Optical Properties of CDs”, I suggest put the section 3.3 in front of 3.1 and 3.2, or revise the section title.

Finally, the section 4.1 “The molecular state” is more related to 4.3 “surface state”, sometimes people talks the bonded fluorescent molecules in the subsection of surface state. I suggest put the section 4.1 “The molecular state” after the 4.3 “surface state” to show the differences.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

The manuscript is a Review on the emission properties of Carbon Dots. The subject investigated is of scientific and applicative interest and the work is well organized and comprehensively described. The manuscript is suited to publication in present form with minor revisions.

I have some comments and minor suggestions for the authors; I have also evidenced some typos:

In Abstract (line 12), please change “emission high efficiency” with “high emission efficiency”. In Abstract (line 15), please change “its” with “their”. In section 3.1 Optical Absorption (line 144), please add more information in the caption of Figure 2 to explain the labels CDNP, CDN and CDB. In section 3.2 Emission and Excitation spectra (line 158), please change “p*” with “p*”. In section 3.2 Emission and Excitation spectra (line 166), please change “independent emission” with “independent emissions”. In section 3.2 Emission and Excitation spectra (line 182), please change “regime” with “range”. In section 3.2 Emission and Excitation spectra (line 182), please change “sgnificative” with “significative”. In section 3.2 Emission and Excitation spectra (line 187), please change “undopped” with “undoped”. In section 3.3 Morphology and structure (line 195), please change “nanomter,” with “nanometer”. In section 3.3 Morphology and structure (line 195-196), please change “…scale, TEM and AFM images showing rounded particles with 2-10nm of diameter (Figure 4).” with “…scale; Figure 4 shows TEM and AFM images of rounded particles with 2-10nm diameter.”. In section 3.3 Morphology and structure (line 199), please change “turbostatic” with “turbostratic”. In section 3.3 Morphology and structure (line 199-200), please change “turbostatic interaction among multiple stacked graphitic layers” with “turbostratic stacking among multiple graphitic layers”. In section 3.3 Morphology and structure (line 204), please change “caracter” with “character”. In section 3.3 Morphology and structure (line 211), please change “disorderd” with “disordered”. In section 3.3 Morphology and structure (line 212), please change “clustered” with “grouped”. In section 3.3 Morphology and structure (line 219-220), please change “The latter is related to sp2 crystalline domains and measures the order degree of the CD structure, the former pertains to the disordered framework, thus measuring the amorphous fraction of the structure.” with “The latter is related to sp2 crystalline domains, the former pertains to the disordered framework, thus the I_D/I_G ratio measures the amount of defects and disorder present in the CD structure.”. In section 3.3 Morphology and structure (line 226), please change “pyridnic” with “pyridinic”. In section 3.3 Morphology and structure (line 227), please change “Transformed” with “Transform”. In section 4 Photoluminescence mechanisms (line 233), please change “photoluminescence excitation dependence” with “excitation photoluminescence dependence”. In section 4.2 The core emission (line 275), please change “nanosized” with “nanometer”. In section 4.3, please mention Figure 7 in the text. In section 5 Conclusions and perspectives (line 328), please change “molecule state” with “molecular state”. In section 5 Conclusions and perspectives (line 330), please change “surface state” with “surface states model”.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

The authors have adequately addressed the concerns raised during the previous review and clarified the aspects of the paper that were not clear.

Reviewer 3 Report

I thank the authors for applying all the suggestions provided