Synthesis of Layered Hydroxide Zinc m‐Aminobenzoate Compounds and Their Exfoliation Reactions

Two types of layered hydroxide zinc m‐aminobenzoate compounds with structures of layered basic metal salt (LBMS) were prepared by the reaction of zinc hydroxide with m‐aminobenzoic acid solution in the temperature range of 40–120°C. The formation reactions, structures, chemical compositions, and exfoliation reactions of the layered compounds in alcohol solvents were investigated by XRD, TG‐DTA, SEM, and TEM. One layered phase with a basal spacing of 1.08 nm has a α‐Ni(OH)₂‐like structure, and its chemical formula can be written as Zn(OH)_0.67(m‐NH₂C₆H₄COO)_1.33. This phase has strip‐like particle morphology and cannot be exfoliated into its nanosheets in alcohol solvents. The other layered phase with a basal spacing of 2.66 nm has a zinc hydroxide‐nitrate‐like structure, and can be exfoliated in alcohol solvents.     

Exfoliated Single Layers of Layered Cobalt Hydroxide for Ultrafine Co3O4 Nanoparticles on Graphene Nanosheets as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction

A highly effective way to produce an oxygen reduction electrocatalyst was developed through the self-assembly of exfoliated single layers of cobalt hydroxide (Co(OH)₂) and graphene oxide (GO). These 2D materials have complete contact with one another because of their physical flexibility and the electrostatic attraction between negatively charged GO and positively charged Co(OH)₂ layers. The strong coupling induces transformation of the Co(OH)₂ single layer into a discrete nanocrystal of spinel Co₃O₄ with an average size of 8 nm on reduced GO (RGO) during calcination, which could not be obtained with bulk-layered cobalt hydroxide because of its rapid layer collapse. The ultrafine Co₃O₄/RGO hybrid exhibited not only comparable performance in the oxygen reduction reaction but also higher durability compared with the commercial 20 wt % Pt/C catalyst.     

Controlled Gas Exfoliation of Boron Nitride into Few‐Layered Nanosheets

The controlled exfoliation of hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) into single‐ or few‐layered nanosheets remains a grand challenge and becomes the bottleneck to essential studies and applications of h‐BN. Here, we present an efficient strategy for the scalable synthesis of few‐layered h‐BN nanosheets (BNNS) using a novel gas exfoliation of bulk h‐BN in liquid N₂ (L‐N₂). The essence of this strategy lies in the combination of a high temperature triggered expansion of bulk h‐BN and the cryogenic L ‐N₂ gasification to exfoliate the h‐BN. The produced BNNS after ten cycles (BNNS‐10) consisted primarily of fewer than five atomic layers with a high mass yield of 16–20 %. N₂ sorption and desorption isotherms show that the BNNS‐10 exhibited a much higher specific surface area of 278 m² g^?1 than that of bulk BN (10 m² g^?1). Through the investigation of the exfoliated intermediates combined with a theoretical calculation, we found that the huge temperature variation initiates the expansion and curling of the bulk h‐BN. Subseqently, the L ‐N₂ penetrates into the interlayers of h‐BN along the curling edge, followed by an immediate drastic gasification of L ‐N₂, further peeling off h‐BN. This novel gas exfoliation of high surface area BNNS not only opens up potential opportunities for wide applications, but also can be extended to produce other layered materials in high yields.     

Facile Synthesis of Ultrathin Lepidocrocite Nanosheets from Layered Precursors

Ultrathin two‐dimensional nanosheets have been widely studied because of their peculiar properties and promising applications. As a typical layered material, successful exfoliation of freestanding ultrathin lepidocrocite (γ‐FeOOH) nanosheets from the bulk material has not been reported to date. Herein, we report a facile synthetic route to prepare ultrathin lepidocrocite nanosheets with a thickness of approximately 2–3 nm from FeO_x–propanediol layered precursors through weakening of the hydrogen bonds during the crystallization process. The ultrathin morphology and single‐crystal structure of the nanosheets were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. The formation process of these nanosheets demonstrated simultaneous exfoliation and crystallization of lepidocrocite in basic aqueous solution. The obtained ultrathin nanosheets exhibited a much lower Néel temperature (18.3 K) than bulk lepidocrocite and weak ferromagnetic behavior below this temperature.     

A Kinetic Model for Exfoliation Kinetics of Layered Materials

Exfoliation of two‐dimensional materials is key to obtaining high‐performance properties. We present a simple kinetic model for exfoliation that is readily solved analytically. Random and irreversible sheet separation is postulated in the presence of highly effective stabilizers. This model appears to quantitatively fit graphene exfoliation data, and it illuminates mechanistic aspects of exfoliation. Thicker sheets exfoliate much faster than trilayer and bilayer sheets. Exfoliation follows highly activated diffusion‐controlled intercalation of stabilizer into inter‐sheet galleries. Application to the most concentrated graphene exfoliation data available supports these assumptions and provides insight for practical treatment regimens.     

La~(3+)掺杂NiCo层状双金属氢氧化物纳米片的合成及其电化学性能

稀土离子La~(3+)掺杂的NiCo层状双金属氢氧化物纳米片具有高的超级电容器性能,比容量达到1115 F/g(1A/g)、倍率性能为517 F/g(30 A/g)。研究表明,La~(3+)离子掺杂不改变NiCo层状双金属氢氧化物晶体结构,但会显著影响其电子和离子传导特性,从而改变其电化学性能。根据离子电负性标度,La~(3+)(1.327)和Co~(2+)(1.377)离子的电负性值最接近,掺杂La~(3+)会优先取代Co~(2+)离子位置。由于La~(3+)离子的尺寸作用(106 pm),使得最优掺杂比例较小仅为0.26%,电化学结果表明较少的La~(3+)掺杂比例依然会显著调节NiCo层状双金属氢氧化物的电子/离子输运性质。     

Enhancing Electrocatalytic Activity through Liquid-Phase Exfoliation of NiFe Layered Double Hydroxide Intercalated with Metal Phthalocyanines in the Presence of Graphene

Earth-abundant transition-metal-based catalysts are attractive for alkaline water electrolysis. However, their catalytic properties are often limited by their poor electrical conductivity. Here, we present a strategy for enhancing the electrical conductivity of NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH) in order to further improve its properties as an electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media. We show that NiFe LDH containing metal tetrasulfonate phthalocyanine in the interlayers between the NiFe oxide galleries can be coupled with graphene during liquid-phase exfoliation by taking advantage of their π-π stacking capabilities. A substantial enhancement in the electrocatalytic activity of NiFe LDH with respect to the OER was observed. Moreover, the activity and selectivity of the catalyst materials towards the oxygen reduction reaction were investigated, demonstrating that both the metal hydroxide layer and the interlayer species contribute to the electrocatalytic performance of the composite material.     

Intercalation and Electrochemical Studies of Nitroprusside Anion into Zn-Al Layered Double Hydroxide

The aim of the present work was to investigate the synthesis,characterization and electrochemical properties of the nitroprusside anions (NP)into zinc and aluminium layered double hydroxides (LDHs). The materials were prepared by thecoprecipitation method under constant pH, followed by a hydrothermal treatment. Theprepared materials were characterised by a set of analysis methods, such as powderX-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetry(TG), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The resultsshowed that the electrochemical response of NP ions into LDH structure is similar to thatfound for complex ions free in solution. In addition, our results reveal the dependence ofthe electrochemical response on the nature of the supporting electrolyte, for either cationic oranionic species.     

The Rapid Exfoliation and Subsequent Restacking of Layered Titanates Driven by an Acid–Base Reaction

Two‐dimensional (2D) (hydro)oxide materials, that is, nanosheets, enable the preparation of advanced 2D materials and devices. The general synthesis route of nanosheets involves exfoliating layered metal (hydro)oxide crystals. This exfoliation process is considered to be time‐consuming, hindering their industrial‐scale production. Based on in situ exfoliation studies on the protonated layered titanate H_1.07Ti_1.73O₄?H₂O (HTO), it is now shown that ion intercalation‐assisted exfoliation driven by chemical reaction provides a viable and fast route to isolated nanosheets. Contrary to the general expectation, data indicate that direct exfoliation of HTO occurs within seconds after mixing of the reactants, instead of proceeding via a swollen state as previously thought. These findings reveal that ion intercalation‐assisted exfoliation driven by chemical reaction is a promising exfoliation route for large‐scale synthesis.     

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Glutamic Acid/Layered Double Hydroxide Compounds

In this article, glutamic acid (Glu) was intercalated into the Zn-Al layered double hydroxides (Zn-Al LDHs) by hydrothermal method. The influence of the molar ratio of Zn/Al/Glu (R values for short), the aging time, and the pH value of the washing solution was systematically studied. The resulting Glu-LDH compounds were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron micrograph (SEM). The XRD results showed that the relative diffraction intensity first increased then decreased as the R value and the pH value of the washing solution increased. Moreover, the crystallinity degree decreased gradually with the increase of the aging time. The absorption peaks attributed to the stretch of (R-COO^?) were observed in the FTIR spectra. SEM graphs indicated that the morphology of the particles was largely influenced by the synthesis conditions.     

二维水滑石纳米片对氧化铝/聚酰亚胺复合薄膜耐电晕性能的影响

将二维层状材料水滑石剥离为二维纳米片分散液,向其中加入纳米氧化铝,并进行聚酰亚胺(PI)的原位聚合,构筑PI/水滑石纳米片/氧化铝纳米粒子三元复合薄膜。 结果表明,在PI薄膜中同时加入质量分数为10%氧化铝和2%水滑石纳米片,比仅加入质量分数为10%氧化铝时的耐电晕时间(180 min)提高了12倍,拉伸强度提高了37.8%。 聚合物中同时加入纳米片、纳米粒子两种不同形貌填料,能够同时提升复合材料的耐电晕性能和机械性能。     

Fabrication of Boron Nitride Nanosheets by Exfoliation

Nanomaterials with layered structures, with their intriguing properties, are of great research interest nowadays. As one of the primary two‐dimensional nanomaterials, the hexagonal boron nitride nanosheet (BNNS, also called white graphene), which is an analogue of graphene, possesses various attractive properties, such as high intrinsic thermal conductivity, excellent chemical and thermal stability, and electrical insulation properties. After being discovered, it has been one of the most intensively studied two‐dimensional non‐carbon nanomaterials and has been applied in a wide range of applications. To support the exploration of applications of BNNSs, exfoliation, as one of the most promising approaches to realize large‐scale production of BNNSs, has been intensively investigated. In this review, methods to yield BNNSs by exfoliation will be summarized and compared with other potential fabrication methods of BNNSs. In addition, the future prospects of the exfoliation of h‐BN will also be discussed.     

Intercalation of Varied Sulfonates into a Layered MOC: Confinement‐Caused Tunable Luminescence and Novel Properties

The pores/channels of porous 3D metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been widely applied to incorporate gas, solvent, or organic molecules. On the contrary, the utilization of the interlamellar void of layered metal–organic complexes (MOCs) remains underappreciated, although it is more flexible and available to accommodate molecules with different sizes. In this work, diverse sulfonates have been intercalated purposely into an identical layered MOC, which constructed various novel intercalation compounds possessing fluorescent, white‐light emitting, photochromic, homochiral, or nonlinear optical (NLO) properties. With the help of single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, their structures and the mutual interactions between the MOC host and the sulfonate guests were characterized. The properties of the guest molecules were tuned and meanwhile some new performances were generated after confining them into the interlayer region. Such a hybrid approach provides an efficient strategy to design and prepare multifunctional materials.     

Soft‐Chemical Exfoliation Route to Layered Cobalt Oxide Monolayers and Its Application for Film Deposition and Nanoparticle Synthesis

A colloidal suspension of exfoliated, layered cobalt oxide nanosheets has been synthesized through the intercalation of quaternary tetramethylammonium ions into protonated lithium cobalt oxide. According to atomic force microscopy, exfoliated nanosheets of layered cobalt oxide show a plateau‐like height profile with nanometer‐level height, underscoring the formation of unilamellar 2D nanosheets. The exfoliation of layered cobalt oxide was cross‐confirmed by X‐ray diffraction, UV/Vis spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The maintenance of the hexagonal in‐plane structure of the cobalt oxide lattice after the exfoliation process was evidenced by selected‐area electron diffraction and Co K‐edge X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure analysis. The zeta‐potential measurements clearly demonstrated the negative surface charge of cobalt oxide nanosheets. Adopting the nanosheets of layered cobalt oxide as a precursor, we were able to prepare the monodisperse CoO nanocrystals with a particle size of ≈10 nm as well as the heterolayered film composed of cobalt oxide monolayer and polycation.     

Topological Transformation of Mg-Containing Layered Double Hydroxide Nanosheets for Efficient Photodriven CH4 Coupling

Direct conversion of methane (CH₄) to fuels and other high value-added chemicals is an attractive technology in the chemical industry; however, practical challenges to sustainable processes remain. Herein, we report the preparation of a heterostructured Co-doped MgO-based catalyst through topological transformation of a MgCo-layered double hydroxide (LDH) calcination from 200 to 1100 °C. Remarkably, the catalyst can activate CH₄ coupling to produce C₂H₆ with a selectivity of 41.60 % within 3 h under full-spectrum irradiation through calcination of LDH at 800 °C. Characterization studies and catalytic results suggest that the highly dispersed active sites and large interfaces amongst the Co-doped MgO-based catalysts enable surface activation of CH₄ to methyl (CH₃*), in turn promoting coupling of CH₃* to C₂H₆. This study introduces a promising pathway for photodriven CH₄ coupling to give high value-added chemicals by using layered double hydroxides as a precursor.     

Layered Double Hydroxide Nanosheets with Multiple Vacancies Obtained by Dry Exfoliation as Highly Efficient Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with two-dimensional lamellar structures show excellent electrocatalytic properties. However, the catalytic activity of LDHs needs to be further improved as the large lateral size and thickness of the bulk material limit the number of exposed active sites. However, the development of efficient strategies to exfoliate bulk LDHs into stable monolayer LDH nanosheets with more exposed active sites is very challenging. On the other hand, the intrinsic activity of monolayer LDH nanosheets can be tuned by surface engineering. Herein, we have exfoliated bulk CoFe LDHs into ultrathin LDH nanosheets through Ar plasma etching, which also resulted in the formation of multiple vacancies (including O, Co, and Fe vacancies) in the ultrathin 2D nanosheets. Owing to their ultrathin 2D structure, the LDH nanosheets expose a greater number of active sites, and the multiple vacancies significantly improve the intrinsic activity in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER).     

Intercalation of Azo Compounds into Layered Aluminium Dihydrogentriphosphate and a Layered Double Hydroxide

The inner surfaces of inorganic layered compounds such as aluminium dihydrogen-triphosphate (ADHP) and layered double hydroxide (LDH) were modified by azo compounds. Upon intercalation of 4-phenylazoaniline and 4,4-azodianiline into ADHP, the interlayer spacing increased from 6.4 to 21.5 Å and 20.6 Å, respectively. The intensity of IR peaks due to P-–OH of ADHP and amino groups of guests decreased by the thermal treatment of the intercalates. The interlayer spacings also decreased to 16.9 Å and 16.7 Å, respectively, indicating a dehydration reaction between P–-OH and amino groups. The LDH inner surface was modified by the reaction with trans-p-phenylazobenzoylchloride (PAB-Cl). Upon surface modification, the interlayer spacing increased from 7.6 Å to about 27 Å. The absorption of this surface-modified LDH near 410 nm increased upon irradiation with UV light and decreased upon irradation with visible light, indicating the occurrence of trans–cis isomerization of PAB-Cl between the layers.     

Pnictogen (As,Sb, Bi) Nanosheets for Electrochemical Applications Are Produced by Shear Exfoliation Using Kitchen Blenders

Layered materials are of high importance because of their anisotropy and as a source of 2D materials. Whilst there is a plethora of multi‐elemental 2D materials, the number mono‐elemental 2D materials is rather limited. Herein, we demonstrate that aqueous shear exfoliation can be used to obtain As, Sb, and Bi exfoliated nanosheets. Morphological and chemical characterization of the exfoliated materials shows a decrease in thickness, sheet‐to‐nanosheet scale, and partial oxidation owing to a higher surface area. The electrochemical performance is tested in terms of inherent electrochemistry, electron transfer, and sensing applications as demonstrated with ascorbic acid. Potential energy‐related applications are evaluated in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), with shear‐exfoliated Sb having the best electrochemical performance overall. These findings will have a profound impact on the preparation and application of 2D mono‐elemental materials.     

Enriching and Quantifying Porous Single Layer 2D Polymers by Exfoliation of Chemically Modified van der Waals Crystals

2D polymer sheets with six positively charged pyrylium groups at each pore edge in a stacked single crystal can be transformed into a 2D polymer with six pyridines per pore by exposure to gaseous ammonia. This reaction furnishes still a crystalline material with tunable protonation degree at regular nano‐sized pores promising as separation membrane. The exfoliation is compared for both 2D polymers with the latter being superior. Its liquid phase exfoliation yields nanosheet dispersions, which can be size‐selected using centrifugation cascades. Monolayer contents of ≈30 % are achieved with ≈130 nm sized sheets in mg quantities, corresponding to tens of trillions of monolayers. Quantification of nanosheet sizes, layer number and mass shows that this exfoliation is comparable to graphite. Thus, we expect that recent advances in exfoliation of graphite or inorganic crystals (e.g. scale‐up, printing etc.) can be directly applied to this 2D polymer as well as to covalent organic frameworks.