Top-down synthesis of two-dimensional nanosheets
A method for synthesizing two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets comprises heating a bulk material in a solvent. The process is scalable and can be used to produce solution-processable 2D nanosheets with uniform properties in large volumes.
1. A method of preparing two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets, the method comprising:
heating a bulk material in an organic solvent under reflux conditions for a time sufficient to effect the conversion of the bulk material into a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets, the 2D nanosheets having thicknesses of 1 to 10 monolayers and lateral dimensions between 1 and 100 nm, wherein
the organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of alkyl amines, fatty acids, phosphines, phosphine oxides, alcohols, alkanes, and any combination thereof.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bulk material is a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC).
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the TMDC is MoS 2 .
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the TMDC is MoSe 2 .
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the TMDC is WS 2 .
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the TMDC is WSe 2 .
7. A method of preparing two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets, the method comprising:
heating a bulk material in an organic non-coordinating solvent for a time sufficient to effect the conversion of the bulk material into a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets, the 2D nanosheets having thicknesses of 1 to 10 monolayers and lateral dimensions between 1 and 100 nm.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the bulk material is a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC).
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the TMDC is MoS 2 .
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the TMDC is MoSe 2 .
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the TMDC is WS 2 .
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the TMDC is WSe 2 .
13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the heating is performed under reflux conditions.