Fluorescent copper nanoparticles: recent advances in synthesis and applications for sensing metal ions

Fluorescent copper nanoparticles (F-CuNPs) have received great attention due to their attractive features, such as water solubility, wide availability, ease of functionalization and good biocompatibility, and considerable efforts have been devoted to the preparation and applications of F-CuNPs. This review article comprises three main parts. In the first part, we briefly present the fluorescence properties of F-CuNPs. Then we cover the fabrication strategies of various F-CuNPs functionalized by different ligands. In the third part, we focus on the applications of F-CuNPs for sensing metal ions, including Hg2+, Pb2+, Cu2+, Fe3+ and other metal ions. Lastly, we further discuss the opportunities and challenges of F-CuNPs in the synthetic strategies and applications for sensing metal ions.