Carbon dots (CDs) are novel nanomaterials with dimensions lower than 10 nm which have attracted a lot consideration on account of their excellent optical properties. Nevertheless, the event of solid-state fluorescence and afterglow strategies has been comparatively sluggish, though the properties of those supplies underneath liquid circumstances have been extensively studied. Lately, embedding CDs in a matrix has been proven to forestall aggregation quenching and inhibit nonradiative transitions, thus realizing solid-state fluorescence and afterglow, which has vastly broadened the analysis and utility areas of CDs. By way of hydrogen bonding, ionic bonding, covalent bonding and spatial confinement, the interactions between CDs and matrices can successfully understand and enhance the solid-state fluorescence and afterglow results of CDs. Purposes primarily based on CDs in matrices for optoelectronics, data safety, sensing, biotherapeutics and imaging lately are additionally summarized. Lastly, we summarize the challenges and developments of CDs in matrices.
