The broadband light‐absorption ability of carbon dots (CDs) has inspired their application in photocatalysis, however this has been impeded by poor electron transfer inside the CDs. Herein, we report the preparation of Cu–N‐doped CDs (Cu‐CDs) and investigate both the doping‐promoted electron transfer and the performance of the CDs in photooxidation reactions. The Cu–N doping was achieved through a one‐step pyrolytic synthesis of CDs with Na2[Cu(EDTA)] as precursor. As confirmed by ESR, FTIR, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopies, the Cu species chelates with the carbon matrix through Cu–N complexes. As a result of the Cu–N doping, the electron‐accepting and ‐donating abilities were enhanced 2.5 and 1.5 times, and the electric conductivity was also increased to 171.8 μs cm−1. As a result of these enhanced properties, the photocatalytic efficiency of CDs in the photooxidation reaction of 1,4‐dihydro‐2,6‐dimethylpyridine‐3,5‐dicarboxylate is improved 3.5‐fold after CD doping.

Understanding the growth behavior of nanocrystals (NCs), especially when heteroatoms are introduced, is very important for the optimization of doping (or alloying) and optoelectronic performances. Here, it is reported on the observation of alloying‐facilitated self‐assembly of MgZnO NCs and the underlying mechanism of alloying concentration‐dependent surface grafting. Using the developed one‐pot thermolysis of Zn and Mg organic salts with the help of oleylamine (OAm) and oleic acid (OA), the Mg ions can be introduced into the ZnO lattice without phase separation with concentrations as high as 20%. Interestingly, with the increase of Mg alloying concentration, the morphologies of the products transform from monodispersed NCs to nanoflowers, and then nanobouquet superstructures, which have quasi‐monocrystal features and obey the oriented attachment rules. According to the analyses of surface functional groups, a mechanism involving concentration‐dependent surface grafting is proposed for such alloying‐facilitated self‐assembly.

The typical two‐dimensional (2D) semiconductors MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, WSe2 and black phosphorus have garnered tremendous interest for their unique electronic, optical, and chemical properties. However, all 2D semiconductors reported thus far feature band gaps that are smaller than 2.0 eV, which has greatly restricted their applications, especially in optoelectronic devices with photoresponse in the blue and UV range. Novel 2D mono‐elemental semiconductors, namely monolayered arsenene and antimonene, with wide band gaps and high stability were now developed based on first‐principles calculations. Interestingly, although As and Sb are typically semimetals in the bulk, they are transformed into indirect semiconductors with band gaps of 2.49 and 2.28 eV when thinned to one atomic layer. Significantly, under small biaxial strain, these materials were transformed from indirect into direct band‐gap semiconductors. Such dramatic changes in the electronic structure could pave the way for transistors with high on/off ratios, optoelectronic devices working under blue or UV light, and mechanical sensors based on new 2D crystals.

As new members of carbon material family, carbon and graphene quantum dots (CDs, GQDs) have attracted tremendous attentions for their potentials for biological, optoelectronic, and energy related applications. Among these applications, bio‐imaging has been intensively studied, but optoelectronic and energy devices are rapidly rising. In this Feature Article, recent exciting progresses on CD‐ and GQD‐based optoelectronic and energy devices, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), solar cells (SCs), photodetctors (PDs), photocatalysis, batteries, and supercapacitors are highlighted. The recent understanding on their microstructure and optical properties are briefly introduced in the first part. Some important progresses on optoelectronic and energy devices are then addressed as the main part of this Feature Article. Finally, a brief outlook is given, pointing out that CDs and GQDs could play more important roles in communication‐ and energy‐functional devices in the near future.

Increasing specific surface area and electrical conductivity are two crucial ways to improve the capacitive performance of electrode materials. Nanostructure usually enlarges the former but reduces the later; thus, it is still a great challenge to overcome such contradiction. Here, we report hydrogenated NiCo2O4 double-shell hollow spheres, combining large specific surface area and high conductivity to improve the capacitive performance of supercapacitors. The specific surface area of NiCo2O4 hollow spheres, fabricated via programmed coating of carbon spheres, was enlarged 50% (from 76.6 to 115.2 m2 g−1) when their structure was transformed from single-shell to double-shell. Furthermore, activated carbon impedance measurements demonstrated that the low-temperature hydrogenation greatly decreased both the internal resistance and the Warburg impedance. Consequently, a specific capacitance increase of >62%, from 445 to 718 F g−1, was achieved at a current density of 1 A g−1. Underlying such great improvement, the evolution of chemical valence and defect states with co-increase of these two factors was explored through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Moreover, a full cell combined with NiCo2O4 and AC was assembled, and an energy density of 34.8 Wh kg−1 was obtained at a power density of 464 W kg−1.