Site‐Selective Oxidation of Monolayered Liquid‐Exfoliated WS2 by Shielding the Basal Plane through Adsorption of a Facial Amphiphile

In recent years, various functionalization strategies for transition‐metal dichalcogenides have been explored to tailor the properties of materials and to provide anchor points for the fabrication of hybrid structures. Herein, new insights into the role of the surfactant in functionalization reactions are described. Using the spontaneous reaction of WS₂ with chloroauric acid as a model reaction, the regioselective formation of gold nanoparticles on WS₂ is shown to be heavily dependent on the surfactant employed. A simple model is developed to explain the role of the chosen surfactant in this heterogeneous functionalization reaction. The surfactant coverage is identified as the crucial element that governs the dominant reaction pathway and therefore can severely alter the reaction outcome. This study shows the general importance of the surfactant choice and how detrimental or beneficial a certain surfactant can be to the desired functionalization.     

Few‐Layer Nanosheets of n‐Type SnSe2

Layered p‐block metal chalcogenides are renowned for thermoelectric energy conversion due to their low thermal conductivity caused by bonding asymmetry and anharmonicity. Recently, single crystalline layered SnSe has created sensation in thermoelectrics due to its ultralow thermal conductivity and high thermoelectric figure of merit. Tin diselenide (SnSe₂), an additional layered compound belonging to the Sn‐Se phase diagram, possesses a CdI₂‐type structure. However, synthesis of pure‐phase bulk SnSe₂ by a conventional solid‐state route is still remains challenging. A simple solution‐based low‐temperature synthesis is presented of ultrathin (3–5 nm) few layers (4–6 layers) nanosheets of Cl‐doped SnSe₂, which possess n‐type carrier concentration of 2×10¹⁸ cm^?3 with carrier mobility of about 30 cm² V^?1 s^?1 at room temperature. SnSe₂ has a band gap of about 1.6 eV and semiconducting electronic transport in the 300–630 K range. An ultralow thermal conductivity of about 0.67 Wm^?1 K^?1 was achieved at room temperature in a hot‐pressed dense pellet of Cl‐doped SnSe₂ nanosheets due to the anisotropic layered structure, which gives rise to effective phonon scattering.     

Few‐Layer Borocarbonitride Nanosheets: Platinum‐Free Catalyst for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

The present study demonstrates the use of few‐layer borocarbonitride nanosheets synthesized by a simple method as non‐platinum cathode catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline medium. Composition‐dependent ORR activity is observed and the best performance was found when the composition was carbon‐rich. Mechanistic aspects reveal that ORR follows the 4 e^? pathway with kinetic parameters comparable to those of the commercial Pt/C catalyst. Excellent methanol tolerance is observed with the BCN nanosheets unlike with Pt/C.     

Site-Selective Oxidation of Monolayered Liquid-Exfoliated WS2 by Shielding the Basal Plane through Adsorption of a Facial Amphiphile

In recent years, various functionalization strategies for transition-metal dichalcogenides have been explored to tailor the properties of materials and to provide anchor points for the fabrication of hybrid structures. Herein, new insights into the role of the surfactant in functionalization reactions are described. Using the spontaneous reaction of WS₂ with chloroauric acid as a model reaction, the regioselective formation of gold nanoparticles on WS₂ is shown to be heavily dependent on the surfactant employed. A simple model is developed to explain the role of the chosen surfactant in this heterogeneous functionalization reaction. The surfactant coverage is identified as the crucial element that governs the dominant reaction pathway and therefore can severely alter the reaction outcome. This study shows the general importance of the surfactant choice and how detrimental or beneficial a certain surfactant can be to the desired functionalization.     

Pristine Basal‐ and Edge‐Plane‐Oriented Molybdenite MoS2 Exhibiting Highly Anisotropic Properties

The layered structure of molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) is structurally similar to that of graphite, with individual sheets strongly covalently bonded within but held together through weak van der Waals interactions. This results in two distinct surfaces of MoS₂: basal and edge planes. The edge plane was theoretically predicted to be more electroactive than the basal plane, but evidence from direct experimental comparison is elusive. Herein, the first study comparing the two surfaces of MoS₂ by using macroscopic crystals is presented. A careful investigation of the electrochemical properties of macroscopic MoS₂ pristine crystals with precise control over the exposure of one plane surface, that is, basal plane or edge plane, was performed. These crystals were characterized thoroughly by AFM, Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, voltammetry, digital simulation, and DFT calculations. In the Raman spectra, the basal and edge planes show anisotropy in the preferred excitation of E_2g and A_1g phonon modes, respectively. The edge plane exhibits a much larger heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant k⁰ of 4.96×10^?5 and 1.1×10^?3 cm s^?1 for [Fe(CN)₆]^3?/4? and [Ru(NH₃)₆]^3+/2+ redox probes, respectively, compared to the basal plane, which yielded k⁰ tending towards zero for [Fe(CN)₆]^3?/4? and about 9.3×10^?4 cm s^?1 for [Ru(NH₃)₆]^3+/2+. The industrially important hydrogen evolution reaction follows the trend observed for [Fe(CN)₆]^3?/4? in that the basal plane is basically inactive. The experimental comparison of the edge and basal planes of MoS₂ crystals is supported by DFT calculations.     

Generalized Low‐Temperature Fabrication of Scalable Multi‐Type Two‐Dimensional Nanosheets with a Green Soft Template

Two‐dimensional nanosheets with high specific surface areas and fascinating physical and chemical properties have attracted tremendous interests because of their promising potentials in both fundamental research and practical applications. However, the problem of developing a universal strategy with a facile and cost‐effective synthesis process for multi‐type ultrathin 2 D nanostructures remains unresolved. Herein, we report a generalized low‐temperature fabrication of scalable multi‐type 2 D nanosheets including metal hydroxides (such as Ni(OH)₂, Co(OH)₂, Cd(OH)₂, and Mg(OH)₂), metal oxides (such as ZnO and Mn₃O₄), and layered mixed transition‐metal hydroxides (Ni‐Co LDH, Ni‐Fe LDH, Co‐Fe LDH, and Ni‐Co‐Fe layered ternary hydroxides) through the rational employment of a green soft‐template. The synthesized crystalline inorganic nanosheets possess confined thickness, resulting in ultrahigh surface atom ratios and chemically reactive facets. Upon evaluation as electrode materials for pseudocapacitors, the Ni‐Co LDH nanosheets exhibit a high specific capacitance of 1087 F g^?1 at a current density of 1 A g^?1, and excellent stability, with 103 % retention after 500 cycles. This strategy is facile and scalable for the production of high‐quality ultrathin crystalline inorganic nanosheets, with the possibility of extension to the preparation of other complex nanosheets.     

Visible‐Light‐Induced Generation of H2 by Nanocomposites of Few‐Layer TiS2 and TaS2 with CdS Nanoparticles

Graphene analogues of TaS₂ and TiS₂ (3–4 layers), prepared by Li intercalation followed by exfoliation in water, were characterized. Nanocomposites of CdS with few‐layer TiS₂ and TaS₂ were employed for the visible‐light‐induced H₂ evolution reaction (HER). Benzyl alcohol was used as the sacrificial electron donor, which was oxidized to benzaldehyde during the reaction. Few‐layer TiS₂ is a semiconductor with a band gap of 0.7 eV, and its nanocomposite with CdS showed an activity of 1000 μmol h^?1 g^?1_. The nanocomposite of few‐layer TaS₂, in contrast, gave rise to higher activity of 2320 μmol h^?1 g^?1, which was attributed to the metallic nature of few‐layer TaS₂. The amount of hydrogen evolved after 20 and 16 h for the CdS/TiS₂ and CdS/TaS₂ nanocomposites was 14833 and 28132 μmol, respectively, with turnover frequencies of 0.24 and 0.57 h^?1, respectively.     

Synthesis of Inorganic Structural Isomers By Diffusion‐Constrained Self‐Assembly of Designed Precursors: A Novel Type of Isomerism

The structure of precursors is used to control the formation of six possible structural isomers that contain four structural units of PbSe and four structural units of NbSe₂: [(PbSe)_1.14]₄[NbSe₂]₄, [(PbSe)_1.14]₃[NbSe₂]₃[(PbSe)_1.14]₁[NbSe₂]₁, [(PbSe)_1.14]₃[NbSe₂]₂[(PbSe)_1.14]₁[NbSe₂]₂, [(PbSe)_1.14]₂[NbSe₂]₃[(PbSe)_1.14]₂[NbSe₂]₁, [(PbSe)_1.14]₂[NbSe₂]₂[(PbSe)_1.14]₁[NbSe₂]₁[(PbSe)_1.14]₁[NbSe₂]₁, [(PbSe)_1.14]₂[NbSe₂]₁[(PbSe)_1.14]₁[NbSe₂]₂[(PbSe)_1.14]₁[NbSe₂]₁. The electrical properties of these compounds vary with the nanoarchitecture. For each pair of constituents, over 20 000 new compounds, each with a specific nanoarchitecture, are possible with the number of structural units equal to 10 or less. This provides opportunities to systematically correlate structure with properties and hence optimize performance.     

Composition‐Tailored 2 D Mn1−xRuxO2 Nanosheets and Their Reassembled Nanocomposites: Improvement of Electrode Performance upon Ru Substitution

Composition‐tailored Mn_1?xRu_xO₂ 2 D nanosheets and their reassembled nanocomposites with mesoporous stacking structure are synthesized by a soft‐chemical exfoliation reaction and the subsequent reassembling of the exfoliated nanosheets with Li⁺ cations, respectively. The tailoring of the chemical compositions of the exfoliated Mn_1?xRu_xO₂ 2 D nanosheets and their lithiated nanocomposites can be achieved by adopting the Ru‐substituted layered manganese oxides as host materials for exfoliation reaction. Upon the exfoliation–reassembling process, the substituted ruthenium ions remain stabilized in the layered Mn_1?xRu_xO₂ lattice with mixed Ru³⁺/Ru⁴⁺ oxidation state. The reassembled Li–Mn_1?xRu_xO₂ nanocomposites show promising pseudocapacitance performance with large specific capacitances of approximately 330 F g^?1 for the second cycle and approximately 360 F g^?1 for the 500th cycle and excellent cyclability, which are superior to those of the unsubstituted Li–MnO₂ homologue and many other MnO₂‐based materials. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis provides strong evidence for the enhancement of the electrical conductivity of 2 D nanostructured manganese oxide upon Ru substitution, which is mainly responsible for the excellent electrode performance of Li–Mn_1?xRu_xO₂ nanocomposites. The results underscore the powerful role of the composition‐controllable metal oxide 2 D nanosheets as building blocks for exploring efficient electrode materials.     

One‐Step Electrodeposition of NiCo2S4 Nanosheets on Patterned Platinum Electrodes for Non‐Enzymatic Glucose Sensing

The preparation of NiCo₂S₄ (NCS) nanosheets on photolithographically patterned platinum electrodes by electrodeposition was explored. The as‐prepared nanosheets were systematically characterized by field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques. The NCS‐modified Pt electrode was used as a non‐enzymatic glucose sensor. The sensor response exhibited two linear regions in glucose concentration, with a limit of detection of 1.2 μm . The sensors showed that the as‐prepared NCS nanosheets have excellent electrocatalytic activity towards glucose with long stability, good reproducibility, and excellent anti‐interference properties, and thus, this material holds promise for the development of a practical glucose sensor.     

Sb‐Triggered β‐to‐α Transition: Solvothermal Synthesis of Metastable α‐Cu2Se

Control over phase stabilities during synthesis processes is of great importance for both fundamental studies and practical applications. We describe herein a facile strategy for the synthesis of Cu₂Se with phase selectivity through a simple solvothermal method. In the presence and absence of SbCl₃, monoclinic α‐Cu₂Se and cubic β‐Cu₂Se can be synthesized, respectively. The formation of α‐Cu₂Se requires optimization of the Cu/Se molar ratio in the starting reagents, the reaction temperature, as well as the timing for the addition of SbCl₃. Differential scanning calorimetry of the synthesized α‐Cu₂Se has shown that a part of it undergoes a phase transition to β‐Cu₂Se at 135 °C, and that this phase transition is irreversible on cooling to ambient temperature. Kinetic studies have revealed that in the presence of Sb species the kinetically favored β‐Cu₂Se transforms to the thermodynamically favored α‐Cu₂Se. In this β‐to‐α phase transition process, the distribution of Cu ions in β‐Cu₂Se, as determined by the Cu/Se ratio and temperature, is likely to play a crucial role.     

Excellent Performance of Few‐Layer Borocarbonitrides as Anode Materials in Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Borocarbonitrides (B_xC_yN_z) with a graphene‐like structure exhibit a remarkable high lithium cyclability and current rate capability. The electrochemical performance of the B_xC_yN_z materials, synthesized by using a simple solid‐state synthesis route based on urea, was strongly dependent on the composition and surface area. Among the three compositions studied, the carbon‐rich compound B_0.15C_0.73N_0.12 with the highest surface area showed an exceptional stability (over 100 cycles) and rate capability over widely varying current density values (0.05–1 A g^?1). B_0.15C_0.73N_0.12 has a very high specific capacity of 710 mA h g^?1 at 0.05 A g^?1. With the inclusion of a suitable additive in the electrolyte, the specific capacity improved drastically, recording an impressive value of nearly 900 mA h g^?1 at 0.05 A g^?1. It is believed that the solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer at the interface of B_xC_yN_z and electrolyte also plays a crucial role in the performance of the B_xC_yN_z .     

Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance of ZnO Nanorods Coupled by Two‐Dimensional α‐MoO3 Nanoflakes under UV and Visible Light Irradiation

We exploit the utilization of two‐dimensional (2D) molybdenum oxide nanoflakes as a co‐catalyst for ZnO nanorods (NRs) to enhance their photocatalytic performance. The 2D nanoflakes of orthorhombic α‐MoO₃ were synthesized through a sonication‐aided exfoliation technique. The 2D MoO₃ nanoflakes can be further converted to substoichiometric quasi‐metallic MoO_3?x by using UV irradiation. Subsequently, 1D–2D MoO₃/ZnO NR and MoO_3?x/ZnO NR composite photocatalysts have been successfully synthesized. The photocatalytic performances of the novel nanosystems in the decomposition of methylene blue are studied by using UV‐ and visible‐illumination setup. The incorporated 2D nanoflakes show a positive influence on the photocatalytic activity of the ZnO. The obtained rate constant values follow the order of pristine ZnO NR<MoO₃/ZnO NR<MoO_3?x/ZnO NR composites. The enhancement of the photocatalytic efficiency can be ascribed to a fast charge carrier separation and transport within the heterojunctions of the MoO₃/ZnO NRs. In particular, the best photocatalytic performance of the MoO_3?x/ZnO NR composite can be additionally attributed to a quasi‐metallic conductivity and substoichiometry‐induced mid‐gap states, which extend the light absorption range. A tentative photocatalytic degradation mechanism was proposed. The strategy presented in this work not only demonstrates that coupling with nanoscale molybdenum oxide nanoflakes is a promising approach to significantly enhance the photocatalytic activity of ZnO but also hints at new type of composite catalyst with extended applications in energy conversion and environmental purification.     

Misfit‐Layered Bi1.85Sr2Co1.85O7.7−δ for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction: Beyond van der Waals Heterostructures

Recent research on stable 2D nanomaterials has led to the discovery of new materials for energy‐conversion and energy‐storage applications. A class of layered heterostructures known as misfit‐layered chalcogenides consists of well‐defined atomic layers and has previously been applied as thermoelectric materials for use as high‐temperature thermoelectric batteries. The performance of such misfit‐layered chalcogenides in electrochemical applications, specifically the hydrogen evolution reaction, is currently unexplored. Herein, a misfit‐layered chalcogenide consisting of CoO₂ layers interleaved with an SrO–BiO–BiO–SrO rock‐salt block and having the formula Bi_1.85Sr₂Co_1.85O_7.7?δ is synthesized and examined for its structural and electrochemical properties. The hydrogen‐evolution performance of misfit‐layered Bi_1.85Sr₂Co_1.85O_7.7?δ, which has an overpotential of 589 mV and a Tafel slope of 51 mV per decade, demonstrates the promising potential of misfit‐layered chalcogenides as electrocatalysts instead of classical carbon.