Anhydrous liquid-phase exfoliation of pristine electrochemically-active GeS nanosheets
Anhydrous liquid-phase exfoliation of germanium sulfide to provide few-layer germanium sulfide, as can be incorporated into electronic devices such as but not limited to batteries and cells comprising such materials.
1. A method of preparing layered germanium sulfide (GeS), said method comprising:
providing a composition comprising bulk GeS and an anhydrous fluid medium, wherein said anhydrous fluid medium comprises N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP); and
sonicating said composition to provide a medium comprising nanomaterials comprising layered GeS comprising at least one of mono-layer, bi-layer, tri-layer and p-layer GeS, where n is 4-10.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said layered GeS has a thickness dimension up to 15 nm.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein said layered GeS has a thickness dimension up to 10 nm.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said bulk GeS comprises crystalline GeS.
5. A method of preparing layered GeS, said method comprising:
providing a composition comprising bulk crystalline GeS and an anhydrous fluid medium comprising NMP;
sonicating said composition to provide a medium comprising nanomaterials comprising layered GeS comprising at least one of mono-layer, bi-layer, tri-layer and p-layer GeS, where n is 4-10; and
centrifuging said sonicated medium to provide a supernatant comprising said layered GeS.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said layered GeS has a thickness dimension up to 15 nm.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said layered GeS has a thickness dimension up to 10 nm.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein said layered GeS is incorporated into a device.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said incorporation is into said device selected from alkali metal anodes, cells and batteries.
10. A method of using an anhydrous fluid medium to prepare layered GeS, said method comprising:
providing a composition comprising bulk GeS and an anhydrous fluid medium, said anhydrous fluid medium comprising a fluid component having a surface tension at least partially sufficient to at least partially exfoliate said bulk GeS; and
sonicating said composition to provide a medium comprising nanomaterials comprising layered GeS comprising at least one of mono-layer, bi-layer, tri-layer and n-layer GeS, where n is 4-10, thereby modulating chemical degradation of said exfoliated GeS with said anhydrous fluid medium,
wherein said anhydrous fluid medium comprises N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP).
11. The method of claim 10 wherein said bulk GeS comprises crystalline GeS.
12. The method of claim 10 comprising centrifuging said sonicated medium to provide a supernatant comprising said layered GeS.
13. A composition comprising a layered GeS nanomaterial comprising at least one of mono-layer, bi-layer, tri-layer and n-layer GeS, where n is 4-10; and an anhydrous fluid medium comprising NMP.
14. The composition of claim 13 wherein said layered GeS has a thickness dimension up to 15 nm.
15. The composition of claim 14 wherein said layered GeS has a thickness dimension up to 10 nm.
16. The composition of claim 13 comprising crystalline layered GeS.
17. An electronic device comprising a substrate coupled to a component comprising layered GeS comprising at least one of mono-layer, bi-layer, tri-layer and n-layer GeS, where n is 4-10, wherein said layered GeS is a product of liquid-phase exfoliation of bulk crystalline GeS and an anhydrous fluid medium, and is absent chemical degradation during said liquid phase exfoliation, wherein said anhydrous fluid medium comprises N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP).
18. The device of claim 17 wherein said substrate is a metal current collector.
19. A lithium ion battery comprising a cell comprising an anode comprising layered crystalline GeS comprising at least one of mono-layer, bi-layer, tri-layer and n-layer GeS, where n is 4-10, wherein said layered crystalline GeS is a product of liquid-phase exfoliation of bulk crystalline GeS and an anhydrous fluid medium, and is absent chemical degradation during said liquid phase exfoliation, wherein said anhydrous fluid medium comprises N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP).
20. The battery of claim 19 comprising a metallic lithium cathode and lithium ion electrolyte between said cathode and said anode.