With the escalating demand for green and high-efficiency energy storage systems, renewable wood biomass has emerged as a promising candidate for sustainable functional materials preparation, attributed to its inherent hierarchical architecture and versatile chemical tunability. The macroscopic multiscale porous structure of wood biomass endows it with a natural three-dimensional (3D) framework, which favors ion transport and ensures mechanical robustness. Meanwhile, the microscopic lignocellulosic components (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) confer wood biomass designable chemical properties via hydroxyl/carbonyl functional groups and diverse carbonization pathways. This review focuses on the fabrication strategies and application prospects of wood-biomass-derived multifunctional energy storage materials. Firstly, the compositional characteristics and chemical properties of wood and its derivatives are elaborated. Subsequently, we systematically summarize the applications of various wood-derived components—including bark, leaves, trunks, branches, and derived polymers—in multiple energy storage systems, such as supercapacitors, sodium-ion batteries, lithium-ion batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, hydrogen storage devices, and separators. Finally, the current challenges and future research directions are outlined to promote the in-depth integration of wood biomass into sustainable energy storage technologies.

Luminescent plants have attracted increasing interest because of their ornamental value and potential for low-intensity lighting applications. Genetic engineering has long served as a core strategy to construct luminescent plants; however, in currently reported systems, this approach still faces several limitations, including insufficient brightness for low-light illumination, restricted color tunability, potential metabolic burden on the host plant, and regulatory and ecological safety considerations associated with transgene escape. In recent years, functional-material-based strategies have emerged as an alternative route for constructing luminescent plants. By exploiting the interplay between leaf microarchitecture and micro/nanoparticle transport, these approaches use rare-earth long-afterglow particles or synergistic nanocomposite systems to enable improved brightness, color tunability, and sustained luminescence in plants under reported conditions, suggesting their potential for ornamental applications involving living plants and low-light illumination. This review summarizes recent advances in the engineering of luminescent plants constructed via chemiluminescence-based and long-afterglow-material-based systems. We conduct a systematic comparison of the fundamental design principles, merits, and limitations of two mainstream strategies: genetic engineering and functional-material-based strategies and highlight prospective research avenues toward the development of next-generation luminescent plants.

Near-infrared (NIR) phosphor-converted LEDs (pc-LEDs) are critical for smart agriculture and night vision, but their efficiency is limited by low external quantum efficiency (EQE) of phosphors. Herein, the introduction of Al3+ ions via chemical substitution increased the EQE of the GdGa2.85(BO3)4:0.15Cr3+ NIR phosphor from 8.3% to 30.7% (a relative increase of 270%). Importantly, an "absorption-efficiency decoupling" paradigm is identified: while the Al3+ substitution reduces the absorbance, confirmed by Density Functional Theory, diffuse reflectance spectra, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the quantum efficiency is significantly increased. Theoretical analyses and spectroscopic evidence suggest that the superior EQE gain stems from Al3+-induced crystal field enhancement and subsequent energy level remodeling. This remodeling optimizes the Cr3+ excited state dynamics by suppressing the non-radiative transitions pathway and increasing the radiative transitions, thus overcoming the detrimental effects of absorption reduction. The optimized phosphor, combined with a blue LED chip, produced an NIR pc-LED achieving 41.7 mW output power and 15.7% photoelectric efficiency at 100 mA. The device successfully demonstrated potential for precision agriculture and night vision. This work provides novel insight into "absorption-efficiency decoupling" and offers a new design strategy for efficient Cr3+-doped NIR phosphors.

A diazotroph-plant symbiosis model system has been developed, but the nitrogen-fixation efficiency of the engineered system remains suboptimal compared with those of their wild-type counterparts. In this study, carbon dots (CDs) with benzoquinone and phenazine structures, prepared from o-phenylenediamine (o-PD) and catechol (CAT), were selected as an electron donor and an electron relay to construct a CD/microalgal hybrid nitrogen-fixation system. The photocurrent response confirmed the photoelectron-donor capability of the CDs. Nostoc commune Vauch was chosen as the diazotroph. The hybrid system produced 1.32-fold more ethylene than pure microalgae. When integrated with a lettuce hydroponic platform, the system enabled lettuce to utilize atmospheric nitrogen as an ammonia fertilizer. The net photosynthetic rate, total fresh weight, total chlorophyll content, and total soluble protein content of lettuce grown in the established platform increased by 1.20-, 1.12-, 1.14-, and 1.32-fold, respectively, contributing to the sustainable development of agriculture.

Soil salinization threatens global food security, making the development of strategies for improving plant salt stress tolerance an urgent research priority. Nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs), as carbon-based nanomaterials, have exhibited potential agricultural application value; however, the underlying mechanism by which they regulate plant salt tolerance remains elusive. In this study, N-CDs were synthesized via a hydrothermal method using citric acid and triethylenetetramine as precursors. Subsequent experiments were performed on Arabidopsis thaliana and apple "Orin" callus. The results demonstrated that N-CDs with amino-group-rich surfaces could enhance plant salt stress tolerance. Mechanistically, N-CDs induced sphingolipid/calcium channel protein-dependent Ca2+ influx, which in turn activated the salt stress response pathway. Furthermore, we preliminarily detected the interaction between N-CDs and glycosylinositol phosphorylceramides (GIPCs) with a dissociation constant (K d) of 1.34 mM. Collectively, this study reveals the molecular mechanism through which N-CDs enhance plant salt tolerance via the "sphingolipid-Ca2+" signaling pathway.

The levels of pigments and capsaicinoids, key determinants of color and pungency in peppers (Capsicum annuum L.), undergo significant changes during the postharvest period. However, strategies to specifically and conveniently modulate these metabolites biosynthesis are lacking. This study aimed to develop a convenient approach using red-light-emitting carbon dots (CDs)-doped light conversion coatings (LCCs) to specifically regulate pigment biosynthesis and capsaicinoids accumulation in postharvest pepper fruits through targeted light conversion. CDs were synthesized via a one-pot hydrothermal method and separately incorporated into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) matrices to form polymer solutions. These polymers were applied as coating on the surface of green mature pepper fruits and allowed to dry naturally, forming in situ LCCs. The effects of LCCs on pigment biosynthesis and capsaicinoids accumulation were evaluated using spectral analysis, pigment quantification, and gene expression profiling. Results showed that LCCs modified the light-emission spectrum under white LED illumination, accelerating chlorophyll degradation while significantly promoting the biosynthesis of carotenoids and capsanthin. Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin contents in the placenta tissue increased in a CDs concentration-dependent manner, with PVA-based LCCs exhibiting more sustained enhancement due to superior mechanical stability and uniform CDs dispersion. Gene expression analysis revealed that LCCs dynamically regulated key biosynthetic genes in the carotenoids and capsaicinoids pathways, such as CCS and AT3, linking light conversion to metabolic pathway activation. This study demonstrates that CDs-doped LCCs offer a approach integrating light regulation with physiological modulation, providing a novel strategy for targeted enhancement of secondary metabolites in postharvest horticultural products.

Abstract Amid growing food demand and the need for resilient agroecosystems, improving crop photosynthetic efficiency is crucial for sustainable agriculture. Carbon dots (CDs), an emerging class of carbon‐based nanomaterials, show strong potential for enhancing plant light‐use efficiency owing to their tunable photoluminescence, high water solubility, adjustable quasi‐core‐shell structure, and excellent biocompatibility. Focusing on the selective spectral response of plant photosynthetic systems, this review systematically summarizes the design principles and recent advances of water‐soluble, high‐efficiency blue‐emissive CDs (400–480 nm, photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) ≥ 60%) and red‐emissive CDs (600–700 nm, PLQY ≥ 15%; water solubility ≥10 mg mL −1 ) for spectral matching. First, from the perspective of synthetic modulation, we outline key strategies—including the selection of high‐quantum‐yield precursors, optimization of reaction conditions, and heteroatom doping—in constructing emissive centers and tailoring emission wavelengths. Subsequently, we highlight the multifunctional roles of CDs in plant systems. On the one hand, CDs enable spectral conversion by transforming ultraviolet light into photosynthetically active radiation, thereby facilitating efficient light‐energy redistribution. On the other hand, through coupling with the photosynthetic electron transport chain, CDs can modulate electron transfer processes and enhance downstream assimilatory metabolism. Building upon these mechanistic insights, we further evaluate the feasibility of synergistic blue‐red dual‐emission regulation strategies, as well as the scalability of CD synthesis for practical applications. Finally, we identify the key challenges that must be addressed for translating spectrally matched CDs from laboratory research to field deployment, and provide an outlook on their future development in enabling green and high‐efficiency agriculture.

Heavy metal pollution, particularly cadmium (Cd), seriously threatens crop growth and health. Here, molybdenum-selenium carbon dots (MoSeCDs) were developed to mitigate Cd toxicity in lettuce, and their underlying mechanisms were systematically elucidated. The results demonstrate that MoSeCDs promote plant growth by protecting chloroplast structure and maintaining photosynthetic activity, while simultaneously activating plant hormone signaling to enhance root vigor and modulating cell wall components to strengthen Cd immobilization. Moreover, MoSeCDs regulate the expression of metal transporter genes, reducing Cd uptake and facilitating vacuolar sequestration, while activating the antioxidant system to alleviate oxidative damage. MoSeCDs treated lettuce significantly decreased Cd accumulation in roots and leaves by 30.8% and 62.7%, respectively, and also mitigated stress induced by Pb, Cu, and Al. This study reveals the multi-dimensional regulatory mechanisms of MoSeCDs in plant heavy metal detoxification, providing a theoretical basis and practical potential for developing effective strategies to protect crops from heavy metal stress.

A composite material of black garlic-derived carbon dots (HCDs) and a metal-organic framework (MOF), denoted as HCDs@MOF, was successfully synthesized via AMMO-mediated post-modification. This strongly coupled architecture promotes interfacial charge transfer from the MOF to the HCDs and thereby improves visible-light photocatalytic antibacterial activity. To distinguish the role of interfacial chemistry from that of HCD loading, a physically mixed composite (HCDs+MOF) with the same HCD content and comparable optical absorption was prepared in the absence of any coupling agent. Under identical HCD loading and visible-light intensity, carrierdynamics and photoelectrochemical studies show that HCDs@MOF achieves more efficient charge separation than both pristine MOF and HCDs+MOF, as evidenced by stronger PL quenching, a prolonged fluorescence lifetime, higher transient photocurrent, and smaller EIS semicircles. As a result, HCDs@MOF shows markedly enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and rapid photocatalytic inactivation of S. aureus under visible light. In contrast, HCDs+MOF provides only a moderate improvement in ROS production and antibacterial activity relative to bare MOF. These results demonstrate that interface-chemistry-driven strong interfacial coupling, rather than simple physical mixing, is critical for constructing high-performance MOF-based photocatalytic antibacterial systems.

The performance of near-infrared phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (NIR pc-LEDs) is fundamentally limited by the phosphor, which tends to form defects during high-temperature air synthesis, and these defects degrade their luminous efficiency and thermal stability. Herein, we report a Li2CO3-assisted solid-state strategy that simultaneously enhances crystallinity and mitigates the undesired oxidation of Cr3+ to Cr4+ in Al5BO9:Cr3+. This is related to the unique decomposition chemical property of Li2CO3 at high temperatures, which creates favorable conditions for grain growth and the stabilization of Cr3+. The optimized phosphor exhibits broadband NIR emission spanning 650-900 nm under 400 nm excitation, with the internal quantum efficiency significantly increased from 55.4% to 80.5%. Meanwhile, the luminescence intensity retention at 423 K rises from 75.3% to 81.9%. A prototype NIR pc-LED fabricated with a 440 nm chip delivers an output power of 59.4 mW at a drive current of 100 mA and a photoconversion efficiency of 21%. In cultivation trials with butterhead lettuce, supplemental lighting from this NIR pc-LED significantly promotes plant growth, increasing fresh weight by 28.5% and dry weight by 18.9%. This work provides a practical and effective flux-assisted approach for preparing high-performance Cr3+-doped NIR phosphors under ambient atmosphere.

All-inorganic cesium lead bromine perovskite quantum dots (CsPbBr3 QDs) have emerged as promising semiconductor nanomaterials for display applications owing to their high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQY) and narrow-band emission. However, their inherent instability under environmental stressors such as moisture, heat, and light severely limits their practical application. Herein, we proposed a dual-action synergistic approach that integrates chemical passivation with rigid encapsulation to overcome these limitations. Specifically, the sulfonic acid-based surfactant (SB3-18) coordinates with the unpassivated Pb2+ sites on the CsPbBr3 QDs surface to effectively to suppress surface trap states, while high-temperature sintering of mesoporous silica (MS) templates triggers pore collapse to form a dense protective matrix against environmental degradation. Structural and spectroscopic analyses corroborated the effectiveness of the approach. The optimized CsPbBr3-SB3-18/MS composites demonstrates enhanced stability, exhibiting excellent photostability and water-resistance, and good thermostability compared with the same stability test conditions as the material without the addition of SB3-18. The color gamut coverage of the as-prepared backlit white LED reaches 125.3 % of NTSC and 93.6 % of the Rec.2020. This work introduces a novel strategy integrating defect engineering and robust encapsulation within a high-temperature solid-phase synthesis approach to enhance the performance of perovskite nanomaterials.

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has significantly advanced NIR light sources. However, creating NIR emitters with optimal luminescence properties, high thermal stability, and adjustable emission peaks poses a critical challenge for future smart NIR devices. We introduced a chemical unit cosubstitution strategy by incorporating Ca2+ and Sn4+ ions into the garnet structure. Through this approach, Y3−yCayGa4.95−ySnyG12:0.05Cr3+ (y = 0–1) phosphors were developed by modulating the A C ligands, resulting in emission centers ranging from 708 to 768 nm. The modified local environment of Cr3+ accounts for the increased light intensity (2.71 times) and broadening observed. Furthermore, this study investigated the impact of varying Cr3+ concentrations (Y2.6Ca0.4Ga4.6−xSn0.4G12:xCr3+) on the production of high-performance phosphors. Compared with Y3Ga4.93G12:0.07Cr3+, the optimized phosphor exhibited exceptional external quantum efficiency (EQE = 34.96

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has received increasing attention for environmental and agricultural applications. Here, homogeneous (H-CN) and heterogeneous (He-CN) g-C3N4 were synthesized and systematically compared with respect to structure, photocatalysis, and biological effects. H-CN exhibited an ordered lamellar structure and efficient charge separation, leading to a 92% methylene blue degradation within 3 h, compared with 76% for He-CN. In hydroponic lettuce, H-CN at 200 mg/L significantly enhanced plant growth, increasing height by 30%, stem diameter by 25%, and leaf area by 40% (n = 3, P < 0.05). Photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll content increased by 39% and 31%, respectively, while nitrate levels decreased by 42% (n = 3, P < 0.05). Antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, POD, CAT) rose by 39%, 36%, and 54%, respectively, accompanied by a 36% reduction in ROS (n = 6, P < 0.05). Metabolomics revealed enhanced nitrogen assimilation and enrichment of flavonoids and amino acids. Cytotoxicity assays indicated lower toxicity of H-CN (80% HepG2 cell viability at 300 mg/L) compared with He-CN (20%) (n = 3, P < 0.05). These results establish a structure-performance-biological effect relationship, highlight the agricultural potential of H-CN, and underscore the importance of dosage control for safe and effective application.

Carbon dot (CD)-based room-temperature phosphorescent (RTP) materials have aroused wide attention owing to their excellent photophysical properties. However, the reports of RTP CDs in information encryption and erasure applications are limited. Herein, a new-type of CD-based RTP material is constructed by incorporating the fluorescent CDs into yttrium hydroxide matrix (CDs@Y(OH)3). For the first time, the Y(OH)3 as a rigid matrix is used to stabilize the triplet state of the CDs and protect the CDs from oxygen. Furthermore, the intramolecular motions of the CDs are limited, due to the space confinement of the Y(OH)3 matrix and the formation of hydrogen bonds, thus effectively suppressing the non-radiative transition of triplet excitons and promoting phosphorescence emission. Based on superior optical performance, the CDs@Y(OH)3 composites are successfully applied in information encryption, and decryption. In addition, by destroying the Y(OH)3 matrix with acetic acid spray, the phosphorescence is invalidated and the information is erased after decryption. This finding not only provides a new strategy for the preparation of CD-based RTP materials but also reveals the great potential of CDs in information security and protection.

Traps, due to the ability to capture, store, and release charge carriers, have attracted significant attention in the construction of long afterglow materials. In this study, a one-step in situ calcination strategy was employed to fabricate carbon dot (CD)-based composites, and the traps were designed as one of the emission centers within the composite system. Upon removal of ultraviolet light, the materials showed a time-dependent afterglow color (TDAC), with the luminescent color gradually changing from orange to green. The study indicates that the dynamic afterglow results from the energy transfer from traps to the surface triplet state of the CDs. In addition, CDs generated during the in situ calcination process serve as dopants, increasing the number of original traps and facilitating the formation of new ones. Based on the TDAC characteristics, we demonstrate the applications in anti-counterfeiting and information encryption. This strategy offers new insights into the development of multicolor afterglow materials.

Room-temperature phosphorescent (RTP) materials have demonstrated significant application potential in various fields such as optoelectronic devices, information encryption, and bioimaging due to their superior optical properties. However, the realization of multicolor-tunable RTP materials with both long afterglow lifetime and high quantum yield simultaneously remains a great challenging. Herein, precursor molecules with various degrees of conjugation and different energy gaps were selected and combined with ammonium borate through a one-step pyrolysis method to successfully fabricate nitrogen doped carbon dots (N-CDs) based RTP materials with a long afterglow lifetime (880 ms) and ultrahigh phosphorescence quantum yield (81.13 %) simultaneously. As the conjugation degree of the precursors increases, the phosphorescent color tuning of the composites exhibits a satisfactory transition from blue to red. Leveraging these superior properties, the resultant N-CDs-based RTP materials have been applied to the fields of advanced information security and anticounterfeiting. This work not only provides an important pathway for developing RTP materials with tunable color, but also proposes an engineering strategy for achieving tunable bandgaps in carbon materials.

Plant-based lighting holds significant potential across various fields, including architecture and urban plan-ning. However, manipulating luminescence color and intensity in plants has been challenging. Traditional ge-netic engineering approaches are constrained by the limited diversity of bioluminescent genes. Material-en-gineered plants often have poor optical performance due to increased surface defects in nanoparticles, and particle transport is further limited by the spatially resolved physics of plants. To address these challenges, we innovatively introduced micron-sized afterglow particles (>5 mu m) into Echeveria 'Mebina'. This succu-lent's compact microstructure and abundant intercellular spaces facilitate efficient transport of larger parti-cles, resulting in uniform, enhanced, multicolor luminescence. This approach surpasses the traditional trade-off between particle size and luminescence performance, producing brightly luminescent plants with sunlight recharging and, for the first time, enabling successful development of multicolor luminescent plants. The process is straightforward and cost-effective and achieves luminescence within 10 min, paving the way for practical applications in plant-based lighting.

The integration of photochromism and photoluminescence in functional materials presents significant challenges, particularly in achieving broad-spectrum color modulation and rapid response. In this work, we have developed sodium-doped and sodium/boron co-doped CDs that exhibit dual-mode photochromic luminescent behavior through a novel radical-mediated mechanism. The Na-CDs demonstrated a 180 nm red-shift in emission, transitioning from 450 to 630 nm. The Na, B-CDs achieved blue-shifted, multicolor emission, progressing from orange to yellow and green under 30-s UV irradiation. Notably, the photochromic states spontaneously reverted to their initial configurations without external stimuli. These phenomena arise from photoinduced electron transfer between pristine CDs and light-generated anionic radicals. Leveraging these unique photochromic properties, we implemented reversible anti-counter-feiting systems and information encryption platforms. Furthermore, the photochromic CDs exhibit daylight-responsive UV detection capabilities and are functional in plant cell imaging, significantly expanding their potential applications in optoelectronic devices.

Horticultural products face multiple challenges in postharvest processing, such as preservation, anticorrosion, and quality maintenance, which traditional methods often fail to address effectively. Carbon dots (CDs), a type of nanomaterial with excellent optical properties and biocompatibility, show significant potential in postharvest processing of horticultural products in recent years. This review summarizes the various applications of CDs in postharvest processing, including their roles as preservatives, antimicrobial agents, and antioxidants. Specifically, this review particularly focuses on the unique mechanisms of action within chloroplasts and the plant body, examining how CDs affect postharvest plant physiological processes. It also explores the unique antioxidant functions of CDs from a plant metabolism perspective. The fluorescent properties of CDs offer unique advantages in real-time monitoring of quality changes in horticultural products, and they show broad prospects in the development of novel intelligent packaging materials that incorporate smart indicators and nondestructive detection, thereby improving their market competitiveness. As materials in direct contact with edible products, this review also emphasizes the safety and stability of CDs in practical applications. Furthermore, it identifies key directions for future research, aiming to promote the scientific application and technological innovation of CDs in postharvest handling of horticultural products, thereby providing new solutions for efficient management and sustainable development.