Tungsten disulfide quantum dots: Synthesis, structure, properties and biological applications

Transition metal dichalcogenides have attracted considerable attention due to their adjustable bandgap structures. When their size is further reduced, quantum dots with different emissions will emerge. Over the past few years, a variety of strategies have been developed for the fabrication of tungsten disulfide quantum dots (WS2 QDs), and plenty of applications have been exploited. In this review, we first summarized the synthetic approaches of WS2 QDs. The synthetic strategies were divided into top-down and bottom-up. We further briefly discussed their unique structure and properties, including fluorescence, biocompatibility, and peroxidase-like activity. Subsequently, we highlighted the recent progress of WS2 QDs in biological applications, including bioimaging, biosensing, and biomedicine. Lastly, the challenges and perspectives on the synthesis of WS2 QDs and biological applications are discussed.