Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42042170›Full record

ReviewGels (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Recent Advances in Carbon Quantum Dot-Enhanced Stimuli-Sensitive Hydrogels: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications.

Mingna Li, Yanlin Du, Yunfeng He, Jiahua He, Du Ji, Qing Sun, Yongshuai Ma, Linyan Zhou, Yongli Jiang, Junjie Yi

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Gels (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Mingna LiFaculty of Food Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China.
Yanlin DuFaculty of Food Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China.
Yunfeng HeInstitute of Plateau Biology of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Shangri La 674499, China.
Jiahua HeInstitute of Plateau Biology of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Shangri La 674499, China.
Du JiInstitute of Plateau Biology of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Shangri La 674499, China.
Qing SunSchool of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.ORCID 0009-0000-5132-7597
Yongshuai MaFaculty of Food Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China.
Linyan ZhouFaculty of Food Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China.
Yongli JiangFaculty of Food Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China.ORCID 0009-0000-7008-3743
Junjie YiFaculty of Food Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China.

Funding

Major Science and Technology Projects of Diqing Prefecture, Yunnan Province 20253403G020001Yunnan Fundamental Research Projects 202401CF070123Yunnan Province International Science and Technology Envoy Recognition (Individual) 202503AK140070
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and stimuli-responsive hydrogels are advanced functional materials whose hybridization yields CQD-enhanced stimuli-sensitive hydrogels, opening new interdisciplinary avenues for smart material applications. This review systematically summarizes the latest advances in these composites, focusing on synthetic strategies, structure-property modulation mechanisms, and practical applications. Distinct from existing reviews that either investigate CQDs or hydrogels independently or discuss their composites in a single research field, this work features core novelties in integration strategy, application scope and critical analysis: it systematically compares the advantages, limitations and applicable scenarios of three typical CQD-hydrogel integration approaches (physical entrapment, in situ synthesis, covalent conjugation), comprehensively covers the multi-field application progress of the composites and conducts in-depth cross-field analysis of their common scientific issues and technical bottlenecks. By incorporating CQDs, the composites achieve remarkable performance optimizations: 40% improved mechanical toughness, sub-ppm-level heavy metal-sensing sensitivity, and over 80% organic dye photocatalytic degradation efficiency, addressing pure hydrogels' inherent limitations of insufficient strength and single functionality. These enhancements enable sophisticated applications in biomedical field (real-time biosensing, controlled drug delivery), environmental remediation (pollutant detection/degradation), energy storage, and flexible electronics. The synergistic interplay between CQDs and hydrogels facilitates precise single/multi-stimulus responsiveness (pH, temperature, light), a pivotal advance for precision medicine and intelligent environmental monitoring. Despite promising progress, the large-scale practical application of CQD-hydrogel composites still faces prominent challenges: the difficulty in scalable fabrication with the uniform dispersion of CQDs in hydrogel matrices, poor long-term stability of most composites under physiological cyclic stress (service life < 6 months in practical tests), and low accuracy in discriminating multi-stimuli in complex real-world matrices. Future research should prioritize biomass-based eco-friendly CQD synthesis, machine learning-aided multimodal responsive systems, and 3D bioprinting for scalable manufacturing.

Indexed as

biosensingcarbon quantum dotsdrug deliverysmart materialsstimuli-sensitive hydrogels

Identifiers

PMID42042170
PMCPMC13116756

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.