Advances in 2D boron nitride nanostructures: nanosheets, nanoribbons, nanomeshes, and hybrids with graphene

Dispersion of high-quality boron nitride nanosheets in polyethylene for nanocomposites of superior thermal transport properties

High-quality boron nitride nanosheets (BNNs) characterized by large aspect ratios and less defective surfaces and structures are in demand for thermal management and other uses that exploit the uniquely advantageous properties of boron nitride, such as being highly thermally conductive yet electrically insulating and extreme chemical and thermal stabilities. In this study, an ammonia-assisted exfoliation processing method was developed and applied to the preparation of high-quality BNNs. As a demonstration of the excellent potential of these nanomaterials, the BNNs were dispersed in polyethylene polymers for nanocomposite films of superior thermal transport performance at levels significantly beyond the state of the art in the literature. Effects of crosslinking in the nanocomposite film structure on thermal transport were also explored and favorable outcomes were achieved.

Co-Solvent Exfoliation of Hexagonal Boron Nitride: Effect of Raw Bulk Boron Nitride Size and Co-Solvent Composition

Exfoliation of two-dimensional boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) from parent bulk material has been receiving intensive attention because of its fascinating physical properties. Liquid exfoliation is a simple, scalable approach to produce single-layer or few-layer BNNS. In this paper, water/propanol co-solvent exfoliation of bulk boron nitride under the assistance of sonication was investigated in detail. Special attention was paid on the effect of raw bulk boron nitride size and co-solvent composition. The results show that sonication of small-size hexagonal boron nitride tends to generate large nanosheets, due to a predominant solvent wedge effect. In addition, it is found that the composition of water/propanol co-solvent has an important effect on exfoliation efficiency. Interestingly, although two isomers of 1-propanol (NPA) and 2-propanol (IPA) have the same molecular weight and similar surface tension, their aqueous solutions allow the formation of boron nitride nanosheets dispersion with markedly different concentrations. It is proposed that due to their spatial configuration difference, NPA with its longer molecular chain and fewer hydrophobic methyl group tends to form dynamic water-NPA clusters with larger size than water-IPA clusters. The hydrodynamic radius of the co-solvent "clusters" was calculated to be 0.72 nm for water/NPA system and 0.44 nm for water/IPA system at their maximum, respectively. Their size changes, represented by two curves, indicate a strong "cluster size" effect on exfoliation efficiency. Our work provides an insight into co-solvent exfoliation of hexagonal boron nitride and emphasizes the importance of co-solvent cluster size in exfoliation efficiency.

Binding patterns and dynamics of double-stranded DNA on the phosphorene surface

Phosphorene, a monolayer of black phosphorus, has emerged as one of the most promising two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials for various applications in the post-graphene-discovery period due to its highly anisotropic structure and novel properties. In order to apply phosphorene in biomedical fields, it is crucial to understand how it interacts with biomolecules. Herein, we use both molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and experimental techniques to investigate the interactions of phosphorene with a dsDNA segment. Our results reveal that dsDNA can form a stable binding on the phosphorene surface through the terminal base pairs and adopt an upright orientation regardless of its initial configurations. Moreover, the binding strength of dsDNA with phosphorene is found to be mild and does not cause significant distortion in the internal structure of dsDNA. This phenomenon is attributed to the weaker dispersion interaction between dsDNA and phosphorene. Further analysis of the free energy profile calculated by the umbrella sampling technique suggests that the puckered surface morphology significantly reduces the adsorption free energy of DNA bases to phosphorene. Compared to graphene, phosphorene is found to show a milder attraction to DNA, which is confirmed by our electrophoresis experiments. We believe that these findings provide valuable insight into the molecular interactions between phosphorene and dsDNA which may prompt further investigation of phosphorene for future biomedical applications.

A density functional theory study of high-performance pre-lithiated MS2 (M = Mo, W, V) Monolayers as the Anode Material of Lithium Ion Batteries

Recent experimental study shows that the pre-lithiated MoS₂ monolayer exhibits an enhanced electrochemical performance, coulombic efficiency of which is 26% higher than the pristine MoS₂ based anode. The underlying mechanism of such significant enhancement, however, has not yet been addressed. By means of density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we systematically investigated the adsorption and diffusion behavior of lithium (Li) atoms on the MS₂ (M = Mo, W, V) monolayers. On the pre-lithiated MS₂ monolayers, the adsorption energy of extra Li ions are not significantly changed, implying the feasibility of multilayer adsorption. Of importance, the Li diffusion barriers on pre-lithiated MS₂ are negligibly small because of the charge accumulation between the diffusing Li ions and the pre-lithiating Li layer. Correspondingly, we report that the pre-lithiation should be a general treatment which can be employed on many transition-metal di-chalcogenides to improve their storage capacities and charge-discharge performance in Li ion batteries. In addition, we propose that the pre-lithiated VS₂ may serve as an outstanding anode material in LIBs.

Two-Dimensional Materials to Address the Lithium Battery Challenges

Despite the ever-growing demand in safe and high power/energy density of Li⁺ ion and Li metal rechargeable batteries (LIBs), materials-related challenges are responsible for the majority of performance degradation in such batteries. These challenges include electrochemically induced phase transformations, repeated volume expansion and stress concentrations at interfaces, poor electrical and mechanical properties, low ionic conductivity, dendritic growth of Li, oxygen release and transition metal dissolution of cathodes, polysulfide shuttling in Li-sulfur batteries, and poor reversibility of lithium peroxide/superoxide products in Li-O₂ batteries. Owing to compelling physicochemical and structural properties, in recent years two-dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as promising candidates to address the challenges in LIBs. This Review highlights the cutting-edge advances of LIBs by using 2D materials as cathodes, anodes, separators, catalysts, current collectors, and electrolytes. It is shown that 2D materials can protect the electrode materials from pulverization, improve the synergy of Li⁺ ion deposition, facilitate Li⁺ ion flux through electrolyte and electrode/electrolyte interfaces, enhance thermal stability, block the lithium polysulfide species, and facilitate the formation/decomposition of Li-O₂ discharge products. This work facilitates the design of safe Li batteries with high energy and power density by using 2D materials.

A Boron Nitride Nanosheets Composite Membrane for a Long-Life Zinc-Based Flow Battery

The capability to maintain a constant system temperature is vital in nature, since it endows the system with enhanced lifetime. This trait also works for zinc-based batteries, because their cycle-life is limited by notorious zinc dendrite/accumulation, which are highly affected by the inhomogeneous distribution of temperature on electrode and relatively low mechanical strength of membrane. Herein, boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) with high mechanical strength serving as heat-porter are introduced onto a porous substrate to enable uniform deposition of zinc and further a zinc-based flow battery with long-cycle life. The results indicate that BNNSs can effectively adjust the deposited zinc from needle-like to French fries-like morphology, thus affording the battery with a stable performance for nearly 500 cycles at 80 mA cm^-2 . Most importantly, an energy efficiency of above 80 % can be obtained even at 200 mA cm^-2 , which is by far the highest value ever reported among zinc-based flow batteries.

Nanocelluloses and Related Materials Applicable in Thermal Management of Electronic Devices: A Review

Owing to formidable advances in the electronics industry, efficient heat removal in electronic devices has been an urgent issue. For thermal management, electrically insulating materials that have higher thermal conductivities are desired. Recently, nanocelluloses (NCs) and related materials have been intensely studied because they possess outstanding properties and can be produced from renewable resources. This article gives an overview of NCs and related materials potentially applicable in thermal management. Thermal conduction in dielectric materials arises from phonons propagation. We discuss the behavior of phonons in NCs as well.

Dielectric and Electro-Optic Effects in a Nematic Liquid Crystal Doped with h-BN Flakes

A small quantity of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) flakes is doped into a nematic liquid crystal (LC). The epitaxial interaction between the LC molecules and the h-BN flakes rising from the π−π electron stacking between the LC’s benzene rings and the h-BN’s honeycomb structure stabilizes pseudo-nematic domains surrounding the h-BN flakes. Electric field-dependent dielectric studies reveal that the LC-jacketed h-BN flakes follow the nematic director reorientation upon increasing the applied electric field. These anisotropic pseudo-nematic domains exist in the isotropic phase of the LC+h-BN system as well, and interact with the external electric field, giving rise to a nonzero dielectric anisotropy in the isotropic phase. Further investigations reveal that the presence of the h-BN flakes at a low concentration in the nematic LC enhances the elastic constants, reduces the rotation viscosity, and lowers the pre-tilt angle of the LC. However, the Fréedericksz threshold voltage stays mostly unaffected in the presence of the h-BN flakes. Additional studies show that the presence of the h-BN flakes enhances the effective polar anchoring strength in the cell. The enhanced polar anchoring strength and the reduced rotational viscosity result in faster electro-optic switching in the h-BN-doped LC cell.

Two dimensional (2D) reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) based nanocomposites as anodes for high temperature rechargeable lithium-ion batteries

With lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries as energy storage devices, operational safety from thermal runaway remains a major obstacle especially for applications in harsh environments such as in the oil industry. In this approach, a facile method via microwave irradiation technique (MWI) was followed to prepare Co3O4/reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanocomposites as anodes for high temperature li-ion batteries. Results showed that the addition of h-BN not only enhanced the thermal stability of Co3O4/RGO nanocomposites but also enhanced the specific surface area. Co3O4/RGO/h-BN nanocomposites displayed the highest specific surface area of 191 m2/g evidencing the synergistic effects between RGO and h-BN. Moreover, Co3O4/RGO/h-BN also displayed the highest specific capacity with stable reversibility on the high performance after 100 cycles and lower internal resistance. Interestingly, this novel nanocomposite exhibits outstanding high temperature performances with excellent cycling stability (100% capacity retention) and a decreased internal resistance at 150 °C.

Directional extraction and penetration of phosphorene nanosheets to cell membranes

Recently, phosphorene, a novel two-dimensional nanomaterial with a puckered surface morphology, was shown to exhibit cytotoxicity, but its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Herein, using large scale molecular dynamics simulations, we show that phosphorene nanosheets can penetrate into and extract large amounts of phospholipids from the cell membranes due to the strong dispersion interaction between phosphorene and lipid molecules, which would reduce cell viability. The extracted phospholipid molecules are aligned along the wrinkle direction of the phosphorene nanosheet because of its unique puckered structure. Our results also reveal that small phosphorene nanosheets penetrate into the cell membrane in a specific direction which is determined by the size and surface topography of phosphorene and the thickness of the membrane. These findings might shed light on understanding phosphorene's cytotoxicity and would be helpful for the future potential biomedical applications of phosphorene, such as biosensors and antibacterial agents.

Recent advances in solution-processed photodetectors based on inorganic and hybrid photo-active materials

Due to their excellent and tailorable optoelectronic performance, low cost, facile fabrication, and compatibility with flexible substrates, solution-processed inorganic and hybrid photo-active materials have attracted extensive interest for next-generation photodetector applications. This review gives a comprehensive compilation of solution-processed photodetectors. The basic structures of the device and important parameters of photodetectors will be firstly summarized. Then the development of various solution processing technologies containing solution synthesis and liquid phase film-forming processes for the preparation of semiconductor films is described. From the materials science point of view, we give a comprehensive overview about the current status of solution processed semiconductor materials including inorganic and hybrid photo-active materials for the application of photodetectors. Moreover, challenges and future trends in the field of solution-processed photodetectors are proposed.

State of the Art in Alcohol Sensing with 2D Materials

Since the discovery of graphene, the star among new materials, there has been a surge of attention focused on the monatomic and monomolecular sheets which can be obtained by exfoliation of layered compounds. Such materials are known as two-dimensional (2D) materials and offer enormous versatility and potential. The ultimate single atom, or molecule, thickness of the 2D materials sheets provides the highest surface to weight ratio of all the nanomaterials, which opens the door to the design of more sensitive and reliable chemical sensors. The variety of properties and the possibility of tuning the chemical and surface properties of the 2D materials increase their potential as selective sensors, targeting chemical species that were previously difficult to detect. The planar structure and the mechanical flexibility of the sheets allow new sensor designs and put 2D materials at the forefront of all the candidates for wearable applications. When developing sensors for alcohol, the response time is an essential factor for many industrial and forensic applications, particularly when it comes to hand-held devices. Here, we review recent developments in the applications of 2D materials in sensing alcohols along with a study on parameters that affect the sensing capabilities. The review also discusses the strategies used to develop the sensor along with their mechanisms of sensing and provides a critique of the current limitations of 2D materials-based alcohol sensors and an outlook for the future research required to overcome the challenges.

Achieving Significant Thermal Conductivity Enhancement via an Ice-Templated and Sintered BN-SiC Skeleton

Conventional polymer composites normally suffer from undesired thermal conductivity enhancement which has hampered the development of modern electronics as they face a stricter heat dissipating requirement. It is still challenging to achieve satisfactory thermal conductivity enhancement with reasonable mechanical properties. Herein, we present a three-dimensional (3D), lightweight, and mechanically strong boron nitride (BN)-silicon carbide (SiC) skeleton with aligned thermal pathways via the combination of ice-templated assembly and high-temperature sintering. The sintering has introduced atomic-level coupling at the BN-SiC junction which contributes to efficient phonon transport via the newly formed borosilicate glass BC_xN_3-x (0 ≤ x ≤ 3) and SiC_xN_4-x (0 ≤ x ≤ 4) phases, leading to much lower interfacial thermal resistance. Thus, the obtained BN-SiC skeleton shows satisfactory thermal performance. The prepared 3D BN-SiC/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composites exhibit a maximum through-plane thermal conductivity of 3.87 W·m^-1·K^-1 at a filler loading of only 8.35 vol %. The thermal conductivity enhancement efficiency reaches 220% per 1 vol % filler when compared to pure PDMS matrix, superior to other reported BN skeleton-based composites. The feature of our strategy is to allow the oriented three-dimensional skeleton to be strongly bonded by a sintered ceramic phase instead of polymer-like adhesive, namely, to improve the intrinsic thermal conductivity of the skeleton to the greatest extent. This strategy can be applied to develop novel thermal management materials that are lightweight and mechanically tough that rapidly transfer heat. It represents a new avenue to addressing the heat challenges in traditional electronic products.

Metal-free photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution

This article provides a comprehensive review of the latest progress, challenges and recommended future research related to metal-free photocatalysts for hydrogen productionviawater-splitting.

Nb2BN2− cluster anions reduce four carbon dioxide molecules: reactivity enhancement by ligands

The thermal gas-phase reactions of Nb₂BN₂⁻ cluster anions with carbon dioxide have been explored by using the art of time-of-flight mass spectrometry and density functional theory calculations.

2D nanostructures beyond graphene: preparation, biocompatibility and biodegradation behaviors

The research advances of the preparation, biocompatibility and biodegradation of 2D nanomaterials are introduced. The prospects and challenges of the biomedical applications of 2D nanomaterials are summarized.

Highly Adhesive Li-BN Nanosheet Composite Anode with Excellent Interfacial Compatibility for Solid-State Li Metal Batteries

Solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs) are promising energy storage devices by employing lithium metal anodes and solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) to offer high energy density and high safety. However, their efficiency is limited by Li metal/SSE interface barriers, including insufficient contact area and chemical/electrochemical incompatibility. Herein, a strategy to effectively improve the adhesiveness of Li metal to garnet-type SSE is proposed by adding only a few two-dimensional boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) (5 wt %) into Li metal by triggering the transition from point contact to complete adhesion between Li metal and ceramic SSE. The interface between the Li-BNNS composite anode and the garnet exhibits a low interfacial resistance of 9 Ω cm², which is significantly lower than that of bare Li/garnet interface (560 Ω cm²). Furthermore, the enhanced contact and the additional BNNS in the interface act synergistically to offer a high critical current density of 1.5 mA/cm² and a stable electrochemical plating/striping over 380 h. Moreover, the full cell paired with the Li-BNNS composite anode and the LiFePO₄ cathode shows stable cycling performance at room temperature. Our results introduce an appealing composite strategy with two-dimensional materials to overcome the interface challenges, which provide more opportunities for the development of SSLMBs.

Functionalized Hybridization of 2D Nanomaterials

The discovery of graphene and subsequent verification of its unique properties have aroused great research interest to exploit diversified graphene-analogous 2D nanomaterials with fascinating physicochemical properties. Through either physical or chemical doping, linkage, adsorption, and hybridization with other functional species into or onto them, more novel/improved properties are readily created to extend/expand their functionalities and further achieve great performance. Here, various functionalized hybridizations by using different types of 2D nanomaterials are overviewed systematically with emphasis on their interaction formats (e.g., in-plane or inter plane), synergistic properties, and enhanced applications. As the most intensely investigated 2D materials in the post-graphene era, transition metal dichalcogenide nanosheets are comprehensively investigated through their element doping, physical/chemical functionalization, and nanohybridization. Meanwhile, representative hybrids with more types of nanosheets are also presented to understand their unique surface structures and address the special requirements for better applications. More excitingly, the van der Waals heterostructures of diverse 2D materials are specifically summarized to add more functionality or flexibility into 2D material systems. Finally, the current research status and faced challenges are discussed properly and several perspectives are elaborately given to accelerate the rational fabrication of varied and talented 2D hybrids.

From 2-D to 0-D Boron Nitride Materials, The Next Challenge

The discovery of graphene has paved the way for intense research into 2D materials which is expected to have a tremendous impact on our knowledge of material properties in small dimensions. Among other materials, boron nitride (BN) nanomaterials have shown remarkable features with the possibility of being used in a large variety of devices. Photonics, aerospace, and medicine are just some of the possible fields where BN has been successfully employed. Poor scalability represents, however, a primary limit of boron nitride. Techniques to limit the number of defects, obtaining large area sheets and the production of significant amounts of homogenous 2D materials are still at an early stage. In most cases, the synthesis process governs defect formation. It is of utmost importance, therefore, to achieve a deep understanding of the mechanism behind the creation of these defects. We reviewed some of the most recent studies on 2D and 0D boron nitride materials. Starting with the theoretical works which describe the correlations between structure and defects, we critically described the main BN synthesis routes and the properties of the final materials. The main results are summarized to present a general outlook on the current state of the art in this field.

General, Vertical, Three-Dimensional Printing of Two-Dimensional Materials with Multiscale Alignment

Two-dimensional (2D) materials (e.g., boron nitride (BN), graphene, and MoS₂) have great potential in emerging energy, environmental, and electronics applications. Assembly of 2D materials into vertically aligned structures is highly desirable (e.g., low tortuosity for rapid ion transport in fast charging-discharging batteries, guiding thermal transport for efficient thermal management), yet extremely challenging due to the energetically unfavorable in processing. Herein, we reported a general three-dimensional (3D) printing method to fabricate vertically aligned 2D materials in multiscale, using BN nanosheet as the proof-of-concept. The 3D-printed macroscale rods are composed of vertically aligned BN nanosheets at the nanoscale. The formation of the hierarchical aligned structure is enabled by the optimized ink that holds a significant shear-thinning behavior and an ultrahigh storage modulus, as identified at a narrow region in the printability diagram. The resulting vertically aligned multiscale structure with 2D nanosheets demonstrated an outstanding through-plane thermal conductivity, up to 5.65 W m^-1 K^-1, significantly higher than the value of conventional BN based structures where the sheets are horizontally aligned. The vertical 3D printing of 2D BN nanosheets can be expanded to other 2D materials in constructing hierarchically aligned structures for a range of emerging technologies such as batteries, membranes, and structural materials.

Highly Thermally Conductive Polymer Composite Originated from Assembly of Boron Nitride at an Oil-Water Interface

Thermally conductive polymer packaging material is of great significance for the thermal management of electronics. Inorganic thermally conductive fillers have been demonstrated as a convenient approach to achieve this goal by sacrificing the lightweight and processability of the polymer. To address this problem, an effective 3D boron nitride (BN) network was constructed as a heat conduction pathway in a polystyrene (PS) matrix based on an oil-water interface assembly in this work. Styrene oil droplets were stabilized by BN sheets in the water phase to form Pickering emulsions, and then in situ polymerization was trigged to synthesize PS microspheres with ultrathin BN layer-covered surfaces (PS@BN microspheres). Composite substrates were fabricated through hot-compressing the PS@BN microspheres to form BN networks based on the original microsphere template. Benefited from the network structure, the maximum thermal conductivity of the composite substrate reached 0.94 W/mK at 33.3 wt % BN, which is 626% folds of that of pure PS. It was also demonstrated that the storage modulus and thermal stability of the composite substrate were dramatically improved by the BN network. The reported composite substrate and its fabrication strategy are promising in the development of thermal management of electronics.

Effect of Chemical Order in the Structural Stability and Physicochemical Properties of B12N12 Fullerenes

The effect of chemical order in the structural and physicochemical properties of B₁₂N₁₂ [4,6]-fullerene (BNF) isomers was evaluated using density functional theory and molecular dynamic calculations. The feasibility to find stable BNF isomers with atomic arrangement other than the well-known octahedral T_h-symmetry was explored. In this study, the number of homonuclear bonds in the modeled nanostructures was used as categorical parameter to describe and quantify the degree of structural order. The BNF without homonuclear bonds was identified as the most energetically favorable isomer. However, a variety of BNF arrays departing from T_h-symmetry was determined as stable structures also. The calculated vibrational spectra suggest that isomers with chemical disorder can be identified by infrared spectroscopy. In general, formation of homonuclear bonds is possible meanwhile the entropy of the system increases, but at expense of cohesive energy. It is proposed that formation of phase-segregated regions stablishes an apparent limit to the number of homonuclear bonds in stable B₁₂N₁₂ fullerenes. It was found that formation of homonuclear bonds decreases substantially the chemical hardness of BNF isomers and generates zones with large charge density, which might act as reactive sites. Moreover, chemical disorder endows BNF isomers with a permanent electric dipole moment as large as 3.28 D. The obtained results suggest that by manipulating their chemical order, the interaction of BNF’s with other molecular entities can be controlled, making them potential candidates for drug delivery, catalysis and sensing.

A type-II C2N/α-Te van der Waals heterojunction with improved optical properties by external perturbation

C2N with uniform honeycomb holes and a nitrogen lattice, whose vacant sites are partially filled by C6 hexagons, has a great potential due to its editable properties. Here, by using first-principles calculations, a C2N/α-Te van der Waals (vdW) heterojunction and its electronic properties modulated by a vertical strain and external electric field were systematically investigated. The results showed that the C2N/α-Te vdW heterojunction had a unique type-II band alignment, whose indirect band gap value was 0.47/1.01 eV in DFT/HSE06. The band gap could be tuned by external perturbation from 0.49 eV to 1.16 eV in HSE06. A type-II to type-I transition occurred under an external electric field of 0.4 V Å-1. Interestingly, the C2N/α-Te vdW heterojunction possessed high optical absorption strength (∼105) and broad spectrum width (ultraviolet to near-infrared region). These results indicate that the C2N/α-Te heterojunction is promising for photovoltaic applications.

Enhancement of effective polar anchoring strength and accelerated electro-optic switching in a two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride/polyimide hybrid liquid crystal device

The monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheet is transferred onto an indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrate. This h-BN slide is placed together with a conventional planar-aligning polyimide (PI) slide to fabricate a liquid crystal (LC) cell, in which the LC achieves uniform planar alignment. The effective polar anchoring strength coefficient of this h-BN-based hybrid LC device is found to increase significantly compared to that of a standard PI/PI LC device. The presence of the monolayer h-BN nanosheet as an alignment agent increases the planar anchoring energy through the epitaxial interaction between the LC and the honeycomb structure of the two-dimensional h-BN lattice in this hybrid device. The amplified polar anchoring energy is found to accelerate the electro-optic response time of the LC in this h-BN-based hybrid device.

A computational study on the electronic and optical properties of boron-nitride circumacenes

We report a comparative and systematic computational analysis on the electronic and optical properties of the boron-nitride-made (BN) counterparts of the carbon-made circumacenes. Recently, these planar molecules have attracted interest for applications in the condensed matter physics domain. In particular, we focus on the five first members of this BN-family (from BN-coronene to BN-circumpentacene) presenting a comparison with their carbon analogues. For all the systems investigated, we calculate different electronic properties and the optical absorption spectra, performing all electron Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Time Dependent-DFT (TD-DFT) calculations. In the context of ab initio calculations we select a localized Gaussian basis-set matched with a hybrid exchange-correlation functional. We discuss possible implications of the observed BN cluster properties, which could be an alternative material or complementar as compared to their carbon analogues. In particular, concerning the optical properties, we have found that the main difference between the two families is that the BN molecules absorb in the UV, rather than in the visible as happens for the C-made parents. Moreover, we demonstrate that the electronic and optical observables of the BN clusters are nearly independent of the cluster size in contrast to what happens for their carbonaceous counterparts.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation on Mechanical and Piezoelectric Properties of Boron Nitride Honeycomb Structures

Boron nitride honeycomb structure is a new three-dimensional material similar to carbon honeycomb, which has attracted a great deal of attention due to its special structure and properties. In this paper, the tensile mechanical properties of boron nitride honeycomb structures in the zigzag, armchair and axial directions are studied at room temperature by using molecular dynamics simulations. Effects of temperature and strain rate on mechanical properties are also discussed. According to the observed tensile mechanical properties, the piezoelectric effect in the zigzag direction was analyzed for boron nitride honeycomb structures. The obtained results showed that the failure strains of boron nitride honeycomb structures under tensile loading were up to 0.83, 0.78 and 0.55 in the armchair, zigzag and axial directions, respectively, at room temperature. These findings indicated that boron nitride honeycomb structures have excellent ductility at room temperature. Moreover, temperature had a significant effect on the mechanical and tensile mechanical properties of boron nitride honeycomb structures, which can be improved by lowering the temperature within a certain range. In addition, strain rate affected the maximum tensile strength and failure strain of boron nitride honeycomb structures. Furthermore, due to the unique polarization of boron nitride honeycomb structures, they possessed an excellent piezoelectric effect. The piezoelectric coefficient e obtained from molecular dynamics was 0.702 C/m2, which was lower than that of the monolayer boron nitride honeycomb structures, e=0.79 C/m2. Such excellent piezoelectric properties and failure strain detected in boron nitride honeycomb structures suggest a broad prospect for the application of these new materials in novel nanodevices with ultrahigh tensile mechanical properties and ultralight-weight materials.

Tuning the Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Graphene Flake Embedded in Boron Nitride Nanoribbons with Transverse Electric Fields: First-Principles Calculations

The electronic and magnetic properties of h-BN nanoribbions embedded with graphene nanoflakes (CBNNRs) are systematically studied by ab initio calculations. The CBNNRs with zigzag or armchair edges are all bipolar magnetic semiconductors (BMSs). The band gaps of zigzag CBNNRs (zCBNNRs) change linearly with the transverse electric field (E-field) for the first-order Stark effect, whereas for the armchair CBNNRs (aCBNNRs), the band gaps vary quadratically with the E-field for the second-order Stark effect. For zCBNNRs and aCBNNRs, they could transform from BMS to spin gapless semiconductor (SGS), metal, and half-metal (HM) under different transverse E-fields. The CBNNRs may transform into a semiconductor or HM, under the same E-fields, depending on the position of graphene flakes. The CBNNRs introduce local magnetic moment at carbon atoms, and the magnetic moment is determined by the size of the graphene flakes. These observations open the door to applications of CBNNRs in spintronic devices.

Graphene-based heterostructures with moiré superlattice that preserve the Dirac cone: a first-principles study

In van der Waals heterostructures consisting of graphene and a substrate, lattice mismatch often leads to a moiré pattern with a huge supercell, preventing its treatment within first-principles calculations. Previous theoretical works considered mostly simple stacking models such as AB, AA with straining the lattice of graphene to match that of the substrate. Here, we propose a moiré superlattice build from graphene and porous graphene or graphyne like monolayers, having a lower interlayer binding energy, needing little strain in order to match the lattices. In contrast to the results from the simple stacking models, the present ab initio calculations for the moiré superlattices show different properties in lattice structure, energy, and band structures. For example, the Dirac cone at the K point is preserved and a linear energy dispersion near the Fermi level is obtained.

Pt-Decorated Boron Nitride Nanosheets as Artificial Nanozyme for Detection of Dopamine

Over the past decade, nanosized metal oxides, metals, and bimetallic particles have been actively researched as enzyme mimetic nanomaterials. However, the common issues with individual nanoparticles (NPs) are stabilization, reproducibility, and blocking of active sites by surfactants. These problems promote further studies of composite materials, where NPs are spread on supports, such as graphene derivatives or dichalcogenide nanosheets. Another promising type of support for NPs is the few-layered hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). In this study, we develop surfactant-free nanocomposites containing Pt NPs dispersed on chemically modified hydrophilic hBN nanosheets (hBNNSs). Ascorbic acid was used as a reducing agent for the chemical reduction of the Pt salt in the presence of hBNNS aqueous colloid, resulting in Pt/hBNNS nanocomposites, which were thoroughly characterized with X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and X-ray photoelectron and infrared spectroscopies. Similar to graphene oxide binding the metal NPs more efficiently than pure graphene, hydrophilic hBNNSs well stabilize Pt NPs, with particle size down to around 8 nm. We further demonstrate for the first time that Pt/hBNNS nanocomposites exhibit peroxidase-like catalytic activity, accelerating the oxidation of the classical colorless peroxidase substrate 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to its corresponding blue-colored oxidized product in the presence of H₂O₂. Kinetic and mechanism studies involving terephthalic acid and isopropanol as a fluorescent probe and an ^•OH radical scavenger, respectively, proved that Pt/hBNNSs assist H₂O₂ decomposition to active oxygen species (^•OH), which are responsible for TMB oxidation. The Pt/hBNNS nanocomposite-assisted oxidation of TMB provides an effective platform for the colorimetric detection of dopamine, an important biomolecule. The presence of increased amounts of dopamine gradually inhibits the catalytic activity of Pt/hBNNSs for the oxidation of TMB by H₂O₂, thus enabling selective sensing of dopamine down to 0.76 μM, even in the presence of common interfering molecules and on real blood serum samples. The present investigation on Pt/hBNNSs contributes to the knowledge of hBN-based nanocomposites and discovers their new usage as nanomaterials with good enzyme-mimicking activity and dopamine-sensing properties.

Recent progress in the synthesis and applications of 2D metal nanosheets

The design and controlled synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have been widely studied because the properties and functions of nanomaterials are highly dependent on their sizes, shapes, and dimensionalities. For instance, 2D metal nanosheets (2DMNSs) have attracted a significant amount of attention owing to their interesting properties, which are absent in corresponding bulk counterparts, and they have been confirmed to have potential applications in electrocatalysis, optics, and biomedicine. However, because of the close-packed structures of metals, the large-scale fabrication of 2DMNSs is challenging. In this review, we have outlined the research progress in the field of 2DMNSs, including the typical synthesis approaches and newly developed methods, as well as promising applications of the materials reported in recent years. Moreover, some preliminary and promising strategies to further improve the properties of 2DMNSs and some insights for the development of the field have been included.

Effect of Triblock Copolymer on Carbon-Based Boron Nitride Whiskers for Efficient CO2 Adsorption

Herein, we investigated novel carbon-containing P123 copolymer-activated boron nitride whiskers (P123-CBNW) fabricated via a structure directing approach followed by a single-step heat treatment under N₂. The resulting materials were found to be highly micro- and mesoporous. The influence of the activating agent (P123 copolymer) on the CO₂ adsorption efficiency was determined. The prepared samples possessed high specific surface areas (594–1732 m²/g) and micropore volumes (0.258–0.672 cm³/g). The maximum CO₂ uptakes of the prepared adsorbents were in the range 136–308 mg/g (3.09–7.01 mmol/g) at 273 K and 1 bar and 97–114 mg/g (2.22–4.62 mmol/g) in the following order: CBNW < P123-CBNW3 < P123-CBNW2 < P123-CBNW1 < P123-CBNW0.5. The isosteric heat of adsorption values (∆Q_st) were found to be 33.7–43.7 kJ/mol, demonstrating the physisorption nature of the CO₂ adsorption. Extensive analysis revealed that the presence of carbon, the high specific surface area, the high microporosity, and the chemical structural defects within the adsorbents are responsible for raising the CO₂ adsorption ability and the selectivity over N₂ gas. The fabricated adsorbents show excellent regeneration ability after several repeated adsorption cycles, making the prepared adsorbents promising candidates for gas storage applications.

Tuning Electronic Properties of the SiC-GeC Bilayer by External Electric Field: A First-Principles Study

First-principles calculations were used to investigate the electronic properties of the SiC/GeC nanosheet (the thickness was about 8 Å). With no electric field (E-field), the SiC/GeC nanosheet was shown to have a direct bandgap of 1.90 eV. In the band structure, the valence band of the SiC/GeC nanosheet was mainly made up of C-p, while the conduction band was mainly made up of C-p, Si-p, and Ge-p, respectively. Application of the E-field to the SiC/GeC nanosheet was found to facilitate modulation of the bandgap, regularly reducing it to zero, which was linked to the direction and strength of the E-field. The major bandgap modulation was attributed to the migration of C-p, Si-p, and Ge-p orbitals around the Fermi level. Our conclusions might give some theoretical guidance for the development and application of the SiC/GeC nanosheet.

Polymer Brushes on Hexagonal Boron Nitride

Direct covalent functionalization of large-area single-layer hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) with various polymer brushes under mild conditions is presented. The photopolymerization of vinyl monomers results in the formation of thick and homogeneous (micropatterned, gradient) polymer brushes covalently bound to hBN. The brush layer mechanically and chemically stabilizes the material and allows facile handling as well as long-term use in water splitting hydrogen evolution reactions.

The Potential Application of BAs for a Gas Sensor for Detecting SO2 Gas Molecule: a DFT Study

Different atmospheric gas molecules (e.g., N2, O2, CO2, H2O, CO, NO, NO2, NH3, and SO2) are absorbed on the pristine hexagonal boron arsenide (BAs) through density functional theory calculations. For each gas molecules, various adsorption positions were considered. The most stable adsorption depended on position, adsorption energy, charge transfer, and work function. SO2 gas molecules had the best adsorption energy, the shortest distance for BAs surface in the atmospheric gas molecule, and a certain amount of charge transfer. The calculation of work function was important for exploring the possibilities of adjusting the electronic and optical properties. Our results presented BAs materials can be the potential gas sensor of SO2 with high sensitivity and selectivity.