Full-color-emitting fluids from carbon dots stabilized in nonconventionally fluorescent micelles.

Red-emitting carbon dots from pyrolysis of citric acid in formamide, which are intrinsically water-insoluble, were solubilized and stabilized by the fluorescent micelles formed by a nonionic silicone surfactant and an anionic surfactant, leading to the formation of full-color-emitting colloids with good biocompatibility and a variety of potential applications.