Wafer-scale single-crystal hexagonal boron nitride monolayers on Cu (111).

Ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) semiconducting layered materials offer great potential for extending Moore's law of the number of transistors in an integrated circuit1. One key challenge with 2D semiconductors is to avoid the formation of charge scattering and trap sites from adjacent dielectrics. An insulating van der Waals layer of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) provides an excellent interface dielectric, efficiently reducing charge scattering2,3. Recent studies have shown the growth of single-crystal hBN films on molten gold surfaces4 or bulk copper foils5. However, the use of molten gold is not favoured by industry, owing to its high cost, cross-contamination and potential issues of process control and scalability. Copper foils might be suitable for roll-to-roll processes, but are unlikely to be compatible with advanced microelectronic fabrication on wafers. Thus, a reliable way of growing single-crystal hBN films directly on wafers would contribute to the broad adoption of 2D layered materials in industry. Previous attempts to grow hBN monolayers on Cu (111) metals have failed to achieve mono-orientation, resulting in unwanted grain boundaries when the layers merge into films6,7. Growing single-crystal hBN on such high-symmetry surface planes as Cu (111)5,8 is widely believed to be impossible, even in theory. Nonetheless, here we report the successful epitaxial growth of single-crystal hBN monolayers on a Cu (111) thin film across a two-inch c-plane sapphire wafer. This surprising result is corroborated by our first-principles calculations, suggesting that the epitaxial growth is enhanced by lateral docking of hBN to Cu (111) steps, ensuring the mono-orientation of hBN monolayers. The obtained single-crystal hBN, incorporated as an interface layer between molybdenum disulfide and hafnium dioxide in a bottom-gate configuration, enhanced the electrical performance of transistors. This reliable approach to producing wafer-scale single-crystal hBN paves the way to future 2D electronics.

Gram-scale bottom-up flash graphene synthesis.

Most bulk-scale graphene is produced by a top-down approach, exfoliating graphite, which often requires large amounts of solvent with high-energy mixing, shearing, sonication or electrochemical treatment1-3. Although chemical oxidation of graphite to graphene oxide promotes exfoliation, it requires harsh oxidants and leaves the graphene with a defective perforated structure after the subsequent reduction step3,4. Bottom-up synthesis of high-quality graphene is often restricted to ultrasmall amounts if performed by chemical vapour deposition or advanced synthetic organic methods, or it provides a defect-ridden structure if carried out in bulk solution4-6. Here we show that flash Joule heating of inexpensive carbon sources-such as coal, petroleum coke, biochar, carbon black, discarded food, rubber tyres and mixed plastic waste-can afford gram-scale quantities of graphene in less than one second. The product, named flash graphene (FG) after the process used to produce it, shows turbostratic arrangement (that is, little order) between the stacked graphene layers. FG synthesis uses no furnace and no solvents or reactive gases. Yields depend on the carbon content of the source; when using a high-carbon source, such as carbon black, anthracitic coal or calcined coke, yields can range from 80 to 90 per cent with carbon purity greater than 99 per cent. No purification steps are necessary. Raman spectroscopy analysis shows a low-intensity or absent D band for FG, indicating that FG has among the lowest defect concentrations reported so far for graphene, and confirms the turbostratic stacking of FG, which is clearly distinguished from turbostratic graphite. The disordered orientation of FG layers facilitates its rapid exfoliation upon mixing during composite formation. The electric energy cost for FG synthesis is only about 7.2 kilojoules per gram, which could render FG suitable for use in bulk composites of plastic, metals, plywood, concrete and other building materials.

Creating chirality in the nearly two dimensions.

Structural chirality, defined as the lack of mirror symmetry in materials' atomic structure, is only meaningful in three-dimensional space. Yet two-dimensional (2D) materials, despite their small thickness, can show chirality that enables prominent asymmetric optical, electrical and magnetic properties. In this Perspective, we first discuss the possible definition and mathematical description of '2D chiral materials', and the intriguing physics enabled by structural chirality in van der Waals 2D homobilayers and heterostructures, such as circular dichroism, chiral plasmons and the nonlinear Hall effect. We then summarize the recent experimental progress and approaches to induce and control structural chirality in 2D materials from monolayers to superlattices. Finally, we postulate a few unique opportunities offered by 2D chiral materials, the synthesis and new properties of which can potentially lead to chiral optoelectronic devices and possibly materials for enantioselective photochemistry.

Unlocking the Potential: Atomically Thin 2D Fluoritene from Exfoliated Fluorite Ore and Its Electrochemical Activity.

Fluorite mineral holds significant importance because of its optoelectronic properties and wide range of applications. Here, we report the successful exfoliation of bulk fluorite ore (calcium fluoride, CaF2) crystals into atomically thin two-dimensional fluoritene (2D CaF2) using a highly scalable liquid-phase exfoliation method. The microscopic and spectroscopy characterizations show the formation of (111) plane-oriented 2D CaF2 sheets with exfoliation-induced material strain due to bond breaking, leading to the changes in lattice parameter. Its potential role in electrocatalysis is further explored for deeper insight, and a probable mechanism is also discussed. The 2D CaF2 with long-term stability shows overpotential values of 670 and 770 mV vs RHE for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), respectively, at 10 mA cm-2. Computational simulations demonstrate the unique "direct-indirect" band gap switching with odd and even numbers of layers. Current work offers new avenues for exploring the structural and electrochemical properties of 2D CaF2 and its potential applicability.

Synthesis Landscapes for Ammonia Borane Chemical Vapor Deposition of h-BN and BNNT: Unraveling Reactions and Intermediates from First-Principles.

Planar hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and tubular BN nanotube (BNNT), known for their superior mechanical and thermal properties, as well as wide electronic band gap, hold great potential for nanoelectronic and optoelectronic devices. Chemical vapor deposition has demonstrated the best way to scalable synthesis of high-quality BN nanomaterials. Yet, the atomistic understanding of reactions from precursors to product-material remains elusive, posing challenges for experimental design. Here, performing first-principles calculations and ab initio molecular simulations, we explore pyrolytic decomposition pathways of the most used precursor ammonia borane (H3BNH3, AB) to BN, in gas-phase and on Ni(111) or amorphous boron (for BNNT growth) surfaces, for comparison. It reveals that in the gas phase, a pair of AB molecules cooperate to form intermediate NH3 and ammonia diborane, which further dissociates into H2BNH2, accompanied by critical BH4- and NH4+ ions. These ions act as H scavengers facilitating H2BNH2 dehydrogenation into HBNH. The consequent HBNH directly feeds BN flake growth by reacting with the crystal edge, while the addition of H2BNH2 to the edge is prohibited at 1500 K. In contrast, on Ni and boron surfaces, AB monomer dehydrogenates stepwise, deeper, yielding BNH and BN dimer as the primary building unit. Our study maps out three typical experimental conditions regarding the dissociation of AB-precursor, providing insights into the underlying reaction mechanisms of gas-phase precursors, to help as guidelines for the experimental growth of BN nanomaterials.

Electric Field Effects in Flash Joule Heating Synthesis.

Flash Joule heating has emerged as an ultrafast, scalable, and versatile synthesis method for nanomaterials, such as graphene. Here, we experimentally and theoretically deconvolute the contributions of thermal and electrical processes to the synthesis of graphene by flash Joule heating. While traditional methods of graphene synthesis involve purely chemical or thermal driving forces, our results show that the presence of charge and the resulting electric field in a graphene precursor catalyze the formation of graphene. Furthermore, modulation of the current or the pulse width affords the ability to control the three-step phase transition of the material from amorphous carbon to turbostratic graphene and finally to ordered (AB and ABC-stacked) graphene and graphite. Finally, density functional theory simulations reveal that the presence of a charge- and current-induced electric field inside the graphene precursor facilitates phase transition by lowering the activation energy of the reaction. These results demonstrate that the passage of electrical current through a solid sample can directly drive nanocrystal nucleation in flash Joule heating, an insight that may inform future Joule heating or other electrical synthesis strategies.

Hierarchically structured bioinspired nanocomposites.

Next-generation structural materials are expected to be lightweight, high-strength and tough composites with embedded functionalities to sense, adapt, self-repair, morph and restore. This Review highlights recent developments and concepts in bioinspired nanocomposites, emphasizing tailoring of the architecture, interphases and confinement to achieve dynamic and synergetic responses. We highlight cornerstone examples from natural materials with unique mechanical property combinations based on relatively simple building blocks produced in aqueous environments under ambient conditions. A particular focus is on structural hierarchies across multiple length scales to achieve multifunctionality and robustness. We further discuss recent advances, trends and emerging opportunities for combining biological and synthetic components, state-of-the-art characterization and modelling approaches to assess the physical principles underlying nature-inspired design and mechanical responses at multiple length scales. These multidisciplinary approaches promote the synergetic enhancement of individual materials properties and an improved predictive and prescriptive design of the next era of structural materials at multilength scales for a wide range of applications.

A library of atomically thin metal chalcogenides.

Investigations of two-dimensional transition-metal chalcogenides (TMCs) have recently revealed interesting physical phenomena, including the quantum spin Hall effect1,2, valley polarization3,4 and two-dimensional superconductivity 5 , suggesting potential applications for functional devices6-10. However, of the numerous compounds available, only a handful, such as Mo- and W-based TMCs, have been synthesized, typically via sulfurization11-15, selenization16,17 and tellurization 18 of metals and metal compounds. Many TMCs are difficult to produce because of the high melting points of their metal and metal oxide precursors. Molten-salt-assisted methods have been used to produce ceramic powders at relatively low temperature 19 and this approach 20 was recently employed to facilitate the growth of monolayer WS2 and WSe2. Here we demonstrate that molten-salt-assisted chemical vapour deposition can be broadly applied for the synthesis of a wide variety of two-dimensional (atomically thin) TMCs. We synthesized 47 compounds, including 32 binary compounds (based on the transition metals Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Re, Pt, Pd and Fe), 13 alloys (including 11 ternary, one quaternary and one quinary), and two heterostructured compounds. We elaborate how the salt decreases the melting point of the reactants and facilitates the formation of intermediate products, increasing the overall reaction rate. Most of the synthesized materials in our library are useful, as supported by evidence of superconductivity in our monolayer NbSe2 and MoTe2 samples21,22 and of high mobilities in MoS2 and ReS2. Although the quality of some of the materials still requires development, our work opens up opportunities for studying the properties and potential application of a wide variety of two-dimensional TMCs.

Evidence for Topological Magnon-Phonon Hybridization in a 2D Antiferromagnet down to the Monolayer Limit.

Topological phonons and magnons potentially enable low-loss, quantum coherent, and chiral transport of information and energy at the atomic scale. Van der Waals magnetic materials are promising to realize such states due to their recently discovered strong interactions among the electronic, spin, and lattice degrees of freedom. Here, we report the first observation of coherent hybridization of magnons and phonons in monolayer antiferromagnet FePSe3 by cavity-enhanced magneto-Raman spectroscopy. The robust magnon-phonon cooperativity in the 2D limit occurs even in zero magnetic field, which enables nontrivial band inversion between longitudinal and transverse optical phonons caused by the strong coupling with magnons. The spin and lattice symmetry theoretically guarantee magnetic-field-controlled topological phase transition, verified by nonzero Chern numbers calculated from the coupled spin-lattice model. The 2D topological magnon-phonon hybridization potentially offers a new route toward quantum phononics and magnonics with an ultrasmall footprint.

Borophene synthesis beyond the single-atomic-layer limit.

Synthetic two-dimensional (2D) materials have no bulk counterparts and typically exist as single atomic layers due to substrate-stabilized growth. Multilayer formation, although broadly sought for structure and property tuning, has not yet been achieved in the case of synthetic 2D boron: that is, borophene1,2. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the synthesis of an atomically well-defined borophene polymorph beyond the single-atomic-layer (SL) limit. The structure of this bilayer (BL) borophene is consistent with two covalently bonded α-phase layers (termed BL-α borophene) as evidenced from bond-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy, non-contact atomic force microscopy and density functional theory calculations. While the electronic density of states near the Fermi level of BL-α borophene is similar to SL borophene polymorphs, field-emission resonance spectroscopy reveals distinct interfacial charge transfer doping and a heightened local work function exceeding 5 eV. The extension of borophene polymorphs beyond the SL limit significantly expands the phase space for boron-based nanomaterials.

Electron Optics and Valley Hall Effect of Undulated Graphene.

Electron optics is the systematic use of electromagnetic (EM) fields to control electron motions. In graphene, strain induces pseudo-electromagnetic fields to guide electron motion. Here we demonstrate the use of substrate topography to impart desirable strain on graphene to induce static pseudo-EM fields. We derive the quasi-classical equation of motion for Dirac Fermions in a pseudo-EM field in graphene and establish the correspondence between the quasi-classical and quantum mechanical snake states. Based on the trajectory analysis, we design sculpted substrates to realize various "optical devices" such as a converging lens or a collimator, and further propose a setup to achieve valley Hall effect solely through substrate patterning, without any external fields, to be used in valleytronics applications. Finally, we discuss how the predicted strain/pseudo-EM field patterns can be experimentally sustained by typical substrates and generalized to other 2D materials.

Salt-Assisted MoS2 Growth: Molecular Mechanisms from the First Principles.

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD), such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), have aroused substantial research interest in recent years, motivating the quest for new synthetic strategies. Recently, halide salts have been reported to promote the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of a wide range of TMD. Nevertheless, the underlying promoting mechanisms and reactions are largely unknown. Here, we employ first-principles calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations in order to investigate the detailed molecular mechanisms during the salt-assisted CVD growth of MoS2 monolayers. The sulfurization of molybdenum oxyhalides MoO2X2 (X = F, Cl, Br, and I)─the form of Mo-feedstock dominating in salt-assisted synthesis─has been explored and displays much lower activation barriers than that of molybdenum oxide present during conventional "saltless" growth of MoS2. Furthermore, the rate-limiting barriers appear to depend linearly on the electronegativity of the halogen element, with oxyiodide having the lowest barrier. Our study reveals the promoting mechanisms of halides and allows growth parameter optimization to achieve even faster growth of MoS2 monolayers in the CVD synthesis.

Atomic Molybdenum for Synthesis of Ammonia with 50% Faradic Efficiency.

The electrochemical dinitrogen (N2 ) reduction reaction (NRR) under ambient conditions has gained significant interest as an environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional Haber-Bosch process for the synthesis of ammonia (NH3 ). However, up to now, most of the reported NRR electrocatalysts with satisfactory catalytic activities have been hindered by the large overpotential in N2 activation. The preparation of highly efficient Mo-based NRR electrocatalyst in acidic electrolytes under ambient conditions is demonstrated here, consisting of stabilized single Mo atoms anchored on holey nitrogen-doped graphene synthesized through a convenient potassium-salt-assisted activation method. At -0.05 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), an electrode consisting of the resultant electrocatalyst immobilized on carbon fiber paper can attain an exceptional Faradaic efficiency of 50.2% and a NH3 yield rate of 3.6 µg h-1 mgcat-1 with low overpotentials. Density functional theory calculations further unveil that compared to the original graphene without holes, the edge coordinated Mo atoms and the existence of vacancies on holey graphene lower the overpotential of N2 reduction, thereby promoting the NRR catalytic activity. This work could provide new guidelines for future designs in single-atom catalysis that would be beneficial to ambient N2 fixation, and replacement of classical synthesis processes that are very energy-intensive.

Probing borophene oxidation at the atomic scale.

Two-dimensional boron (i.e. borophene) holds promise for a variety of emerging nanoelectronic and quantum technologies. Since borophene is synthesized under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions, it is critical that the chemical stability and structural integrity of borophene in oxidizing environments are understood for practical borophene-based applications. In this work, we assess the mechanism of borophene oxidation upon controlled exposure to air and molecular oxygen in UHV via scanning tunneling microscopy andspectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations. While borophene catastrophically degrades almost instantaneously upon exposure to air, borophene undergoes considerably more controlled oxidation when exposed to molecular oxygen in UHV. In particular, UHV molecular oxygen dosing results in single-atom covalent modification of the borophene basal plane in addition to disordered borophene edge oxidation that shows altered electronic characteristics. By comparing these experimental observations with density functional theory calculations, further atomistic insight is gained including pathways for molecular oxygen dissociation, surface diffusion, and chemisorption to borophene. Overall, this study provides an atomic-scale perspective of borophene oxidation that will inform ongoing efforts to passivate and utilize borophene in ambient conditions.

Heterobilayer with Ferroelectric Switching of Topological State.

The realization of multifunctional nanomaterials is both fundamentally intriguing and practically appealing to be used in nanoscale devices. Here, a heterobilayer consisting of realistic 2D-material components of matching lattice symmetry, that is, one being the ß-phase antimonene ß-Sb known for its strong spin-orbit coupling and ferroelectric In2Se3 monolayer, is designed and explored with first-principles density functional theory. The ferroelectric polarization of the In2Se3 layer induces distinctly different electronic properties in the bilayer. With polarization directed "inward", the bilayer is a trivial insulator with spatially-indirect band gap (potentially beneficial for photovoltaics). Surprisingly, when polarized "outward", the bilayer displays nontrivial topological state, Z2 = 1. This suggests that the external electric field can reversibly switch between these two states, inviting potential applications in future multifunctional devices.

Two-Dimensional Diamond-Diamane: Current State and Further Prospects.

Two-dimensional diamond, or diamane, is an ultrathin film with unique physical properties that combine the record values of the bulk crystal with the exciting features caused by the nanoscale nature. At the current stage of research, the diamane properties are mostly studied theoretically, and the main experimental efforts are directed at its synthesis. The latter is the trickiest problem since traditional methods involving the application of high pressure are not fully suitable due to the influence of surface effects. For diamane research, this poses a number of challenges, whose description is the main purpose and scope of this review. The paper also discusses the progress made so far and outlines the prospects for this field, at the crossroads of the timeless diamond and decade-old graphene.

Nanoscale Probing of Image-Potential States and Electron Transfer Doping in Borophene Polymorphs.

Because synthetic 2D materials are generally stabilized by interfacial coupling to growth substrates, direct probing of interfacial phenomena is critical for understanding their nanoscale structure and properties. Using field-emission resonance spectroscopy with an ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscope, we reveal Stark-shifted image-potential states of the v1/6 and v1/5 borophene polymorphs on Ag(111) with long lifetimes, suggesting high borophene lattice and interface quality. These image-potential states allow the local work function and interfacial charge transfer of borophene to be probed at the nanoscale and test the widely employed self-doping model of borophene. Supported by apparent barrier height measurements and density functional theory calculations, electron transfer doping occurs for both borophene phases from the Ag(111) substrate. In contradiction with the self-doping model, a higher electron transfer doping level occurs for denser v1/6 borophene compared to v1/5 borophene, thus revealing the importance of substrate effects on borophene electron transfer.

Dimensionality-Inhibited Chemical Doping in Two-Dimensional Semiconductors: The Phosphorene and MoS2 from Charge-Correction Method.

Despite the great appeal of two-dimensional semiconductors for electronics and optoelectronics, to achieve the required charge carrier concentrations by means of chemical doping remains a challenge due to large defect ionization energies (IEs). Here, by decomposing the defect IEs into three parts based on ionization process, we propose a conceptual picture that the large defect IEs are caused by two effects of reduced dimensionality. While the quantum confinement effect makes the neutral single-electron point defect levels deep, the reduced screening effect leads to high energy cost for the electronic relaxation. The first-principles calculations for black phosphorus and MoS2 do demonstrate the general trend. Using BP monolayer either embedded into dielectric continuum or encapsulated between two hBN layers, we demonstrate the feasibility of increasing the screening to reduce the defect IEs. Our analysis is expected to help achieve effective carrier doping and open ways toward more extensive applications of 2D semiconductors.

What Dictates Rashba Splitting in 2D van der Waals Heterobilayers.

Rashba spin-orbit coupling enables electric control of spin states, promising enormous advances from conventional charge-based computing. Until now, a general scheme or a descriptor to find an optimal system with isolated spin states with large tunable splitting is still lacking. Here, based on first-principles calculations, we explore the microscopic physicochemical mechanism responsible for the Rashba effect in 2D van der Waals heterobilayers. We find that the difference in the Born effective charge of atoms at the interface can be used as a single-layer descriptor to predict heteropairs with large Rashba splitting, thus reducing the scaling factor in materials search. Moreover, we discover that for most 2D materials, the routinely used Rashba parameter αR is not a good gauge of the effect's strength. From our general scheme, MoTe2|Tl2O and MoTe2|PtS2, with spin splitting above 120 meV, Rashba energy ER = 94 meV, and wavenumber difference 2k0 = 0.36 Å-1 ("effective" αR > 1 eVÅ), emerge as the best candidates for spin transistors at room temperature.

Stable Low-Dimensional Boron Chalcogenides from Planar Structural Motifs.

There has been growing interest in searching for new low-dimensional (low-D) materials for nanoelectronics and energy applications. Most materials have their structural units extended in three dimensions and connected with chemical bonds. When the dimension is reduced, these bonds will be broken, decreasing the stability and making their experimental realization difficult. Here, we show that stable low-D materials can be made from naturally existing planar structural units. This is demonstrated by first-principles study of boron chalcogenides (B-X), which can have various low-D structures with attractive properties. For example, B2O3 can be the thinnest proton-exchange membrane for fuel cells. B-X are wide-gap semiconductors that can complement the narrow-gap 2D metal dichalcogenides for (opto)electronics. Our work sheds light on the stability of low-D materials and suggests guidelines for rational design of new materials.