Recent Advances on Black Phosphorus for Energy Storage, Catalysis, and Sensor Applications

Modification Strategies for Development of 2D Material-Based Electrocatalysts for Alcohol Oxidation Reaction

2D materials, such as graphene, MXenes (metal carbides and nitrides), graphdiyne (GDY), layered double hydroxides, and black phosphorus, are widely used as electrocatalyst supports for alcohol oxidation reactions (AORs) owing to their large surface area and unique 2D charge transport channels. Furthermore, the development of highly efficient electrocatalysts for AORs via tuning the structure of 2D support materials has recently become a hot area. This article provides a critical review on modification strategies to develop 2D material-based electrocatalysts for AOR. First, the principles and influencing factors of electrocatalytic oxidation of alcohols (such as methanol and ethanol) are introduced. Second, surface molecular functionalization, heteroatom doping, and composite hybridization are deeply discussed as the modification strategies to improve 2D material catalyst supports for AORs. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of 2D material-based electrocatalysts for AORs are outlined. This review will promote further efforts in the development of electrocatalysts for AORs.

Nerve Regeneration Potential of Antioxidant-Modified Black Phosphorus Quantum Dots in Peripheral Nerve Injury

Peripheral nerve injury is a major societal concern. Black phosphorus (BP) has inherent advantages over cell-based therapies in regenerative medicine. However, controlling spontaneous degradation and size-dependent cytotoxicity remains challenging and poses difficulties for clinical translation. In this study, we constructed zero-dimensional BP quantum dots (QDs) modified with antioxidant β-carotene and comprehensively investigated them in Schwann cells (SCs) to elucidate their potential for peripheral nerve repair. In vitro experiments demonstrated that BPQD@β-carotene has an inappreciable toxicity and good biocompatibility, favoring neural regrowth, angiogenesis, and inflammatory regulation of SCs. Furthermore, the PI3K/Akt and Ras/ERK1/2 signaling pathways were activated in SCs at the genetic, protein, and metabolite levels. The BPQD@β-carotene-embedded GelMA/PEGDA scaffold enhanced functional recovery by promoting axon remyelination and regeneration and facilitating intraneural angiogenesis in peripheral nerve injury models of rats and beagle dogs. These results contribute to advancing knowledge of BP nanomaterials in tissue regeneration and show significant potential for application in translational medicine.

Interlayer Engineering of Layered Materials for Efficient Ion Separation and Storage

Layered materials are characterized by strong in-plane covalent chemical bonds within each atomic layer and weak out-of-plane van der Waals (vdW) interactions between adjacent layers. The non-bonding nature between neighboring layers naturally results in a vdW gap, which enables the insertion of guest species into the interlayer gap. Rational design and regulation of interlayer nanochannels are crucial for converting these layered materials and their 2D derivatives into ion separation membranes or battery electrodes. Herein, based on the latest progress in layered materials and their derivative nanosheets, various interlayer engineering methods are briefly introduced, along with the effects of intercalated species on the crystal structure and interlayer coupling of the host layered materials. Their applications in the ion separation and energy storage fields are then summarized, with a focus on interlayer engineering to improve selective ion transport and ion storage performance. Finally, future research opportunities and challenges in this emerging field are comprehensively discussed.

Recent Progress on Synthesis and Properties of Black Phosphorus and Phosphorene As New-Age Nanomaterials for Water Decontamination

Concerted efforts have been made in recent years to find solutions to water and wastewater treatment challenges and eliminate the difficulties associated with treatment methods. Various techniques are used to ensure the recycling and reuse of water resources. Owing to their excellent chemical, physical, and biological properties, nanomaterials play an important role when integrated into water/wastewater treatment technologies. Black phosphorus (BP) is a potential nanomaterial candidate for water and wastewater treatment, especially its monolayer 2D derivative called phosphorene. Phosphorene offers relative adjustability in its direct bandgap, high charge carrier mobility, and improved in-plane anisotropy compared to the most extensively studied 2D nanomaterials. In this study, we examined the physical and chemical characteristics and synthetic processes of BP and phosphorene. We provide an overview of the latest advancements in the main applications of BP and phosphorene in water/wastewater treatment, which are categorized as photocatalytic, adsorption, and membrane filtration processes. Additionally, we explore the existing difficulties in the integration of BP and phosphorene into water/wastewater treatment technologies and prospects for future research in this field. In summary, this review highlights the ongoing necessity for significant research efforts on the integration of BP and phosphorene in water and wastewater applications.

Phonon-mediated ultrafast energy- and momentum-resolved hole dynamics in monolayer black phosphorus

The electron-phonon scattering plays a crucial role in determining the electronic, transport, optical, and thermal properties of materials. Here, we employ a non-Markovian stochastic Schrödinger equation (NMSSE) in momentum space, together with ab initio calculations for energy bands and electron-phonon interactions, to reveal the phonon-mediated ultrafast hole relaxation dynamics in the valence bands of monolayer black phosphorus. Our numerical simulations show that the hole can initially remain in the high-energy valence bands for more than 100 fs due to the weak interband scatterings, and its energy relaxation follows single-exponential decay toward the valence band maximum after scattering into low-energy valence bands. The total relaxation time of holes is much longer than that of electrons in the conduction band. This suggests that harnessing the excess energy of holes may be more effective than that of electrons. Compared to the semiclassical Boltzmann equation based on a hopping model, the NMSSE highlights the persistence of quantum coherence for a long time, which significantly impacts the relaxation dynamics. These findings complement the understanding of hot carrier relaxation dynamics in two-dimensional materials and may offer novel insights into harnessing hole energy in photocatalysis.

Thiol ligand-mediated exfoliation of bulk sulfur to nanosheets and nanodots: applications in antibacterial activity

Reducing bulk materials to layers or dots results in profound alterations in their physiochemical and optoelectronic properties, leading to a wide array of applications, spanning from device manufacturing to biomedicine. In this regard, the preparation of sulfur nanomaterials has garnered significant attention due to their low toxicity. Traditional methods for sulfur nanomaterial synthesis often involve harsh reaction conditions, leaving a gap for convenient approaches to create nanomaterials, such as nanosheets (NSs) and nanodots (NDs). Herein, the mechanical exfoliation of bulk sulfur using a surfactant thiol ligand with probe sonication is reported, making a unique contribution to existing methods. In the reported method, the thiol group binds to sulfur surfaces, facilitating exfoliation and stabilization, while the hydrophilic ends provide functional groups for exfoliated nanomaterials. Exfoliation can yield either nanosheets or nanodots, depending on the thiol ligand and exfoliation time. This approach offers the opportunity to exfoliate bulk sulfur using bioactive thiol ligands. With this goal in mind, bulk sulfur was exfoliated with 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid (BA) to target Gram-positive bacteria. This innovative exfoliation strategy of bulk sulfur using thiol ligands holds immense promise for synthesizing functionalized sulfur nanomaterials with wide-ranging applications, particularly in biomedicine.

Fluorinated Benzimidazole-Linked Highly Conjugated Polymer Enabling Covalent Polysulfide Anchoring for Stable Sulfur Batteries

Sulfur is one of the most abundant and economical elements in the p-block family and highly redox active, potentially utilizable as a charge-storing electrode with high theoretical capacities. However, its inherent good solubility in many electrolytes inhibits its accessibility as an electrode material in typical metal-sulfur batteries. In this work, the synthetically designed fluorinated porous polymer, when treated with elemental sulfur through a well-known nucleophilic aromatic substitution mechanism (SN Ar), allows for the covalent integration of polysulfides into a highly conjugated benzimidazole polymer by replacing the fluorine atoms. Chemically robust benzimidazole linkages allow such harsh post-synthetic treatment and facilitate the electronic activation of the anchored polysulfides for redox reactions under applied potential. The electrode amalgamated with sulfurized polymer mitigates the so-called polysulfide shuttle effect in the lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery and also enables a reversible, more environmentally friendly, and more economical aluminum-sulfur (Al-S) battery that is configured with mostly p-block elements as cathode, anode, and electrolytes. The improved cycling stabilities and reduction of the overpotential in both cases pave the way for future sustainable energy storage solutions.

Concentration-Dependent Layer Exfoliation of Black Phosphorus by Human Serum Albumin and Its Corresponding Biocompatibility Change

Layered black phosphorus (LBP) is drawing increasing attention because of its excellent potential in biomedical applications. Properties and bioeffects of LBP depend on its layer number (LN). However, the variation of LN during applications, especially in organisms, is largely unknown. Herein, LBP is found to be exfoliated by human serum albumin (HSA) after the formation of protein coronas. The sorption of HSA on LBP exhibits multiple intermediate equilibrium and size-dependent capacity and is distinguished from traditional multilayer sorption. The loss of LN for LBP increases with the increase of HSA concentrations, e.g., 2, 4, and 6 layers of LBP are exfoliated at 35, 135, and 550 mg/L HSA, respectively. The energy distribution shows that at low HSA concentrations, exfoliation is mainly driven by electrostatic and hydrogen bond interactions. With middle or high HSA concentrations, exfoliation is mainly driven by p-π or hydrophobic interactions, respectively. Layer exfoliation causes the continuous emergence of an unsaturated LBP surface available for adsorbing further HSA, breaking previous sorption saturations. The complete exfoliation of LBP weakens cytotoxicity and promotes internalization to the A-549 cell line compared with pristine or less exfoliated LBP. This finding unveils the exfoliation mechanism of proteins toward LBP and is of benefit to evaluating application performance and biosafety of LBP.

Nitrogen doped CoP on ammoniated black phosphorus nanosheets enabling highly efficient hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis

Developing a rational and cost-effective approach for designing highly-efficient and sustainable electrocatalysts is essential for clean and renewable hydrogen energy. Herein, we report nitrogen-doped CoP on two-dimensional ammoniated black phosphorus (BP) nanosheets (N-CoP/NH2-BP) as novel and highly-active heterostructure electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Using the reactive defects on the BP nanosheets as the original sites under NH3 gas, N-doped CoP nanocrystals were grown on the surface of the BP nanosheets that were functionalized with NH2 groups at their edge. The N-CoP/NH2-BP heterostructure exhibits low overpotentials of 90 and 246 mV at 10 and 200 mA cm-2, respectively, in an alkaline electrolyte. The excellent HER activity should be attributed to the synergistic effect between N-doped CoP and NH2-functionalized BP, in which NH2-BP, with its high electron mobility and hydrophilicity, accelerates the charge transfer and offers more active sites, moreover, N-doped CoP modulates the electronic structure of CoP for enhanced HER activity. This work not only provides a novel and effective electrocatalyst, but also opens up a straightforward strategy for the design of phosphorene-based electrocatalysts for highly efficient hydrogen evolution and beyond.

Renaissance of elemental phosphorus materials: properties, synthesis, and applications in sustainable energy and environment

The polymorphism of phosphorus-based materials has garnered much research interest, and the variable chemical bonding structures give rise to a variety of micro and nanostructures. Among the different types of materials containing phosphorus, elemental phosphorus materials (EPMs) constitute the foundation for the synthesis of related compounds. EPMs are experiencing a renaissance in the post-graphene era, thanks to recent advancements in the scaling-down of black phosphorus, amorphous red phosphorus, violet phosphorus, and fibrous phosphorus and consequently, diverse classes of low-dimensional sheets, ribbons, and dots of EPMs with intriguing properties have been produced. The nanostructured EPMs featuring tunable bandgaps, moderate carrier mobility, and excellent optical absorption have shown great potential in energy conversion, energy storage, and environmental remediation. It is thus important to have a good understanding of the differences and interrelationships among diverse EPMs, their intrinsic physical and chemical properties, the synthesis of specific structures, and the selection of suitable nanostructures of EPMs for particular applications. In this comprehensive review, we aim to provide an in-depth analysis and discussion of the fundamental physicochemical properties, synthesis, and applications of EPMs in the areas of energy conversion, energy storage, and environmental remediation. Our evaluations are based on recent literature on well-established phosphorus allotropes and theoretical predictions of new EPMs. The objective of this review is to enhance our comprehension of the characteristics of EPMs, keep abreast of recent advances, and provide guidance for future research of EPMs in the fields of chemistry and materials science.

Phonon-Mediated Ultrafast Electron Relaxation Dynamics in Monolayer Black Phosphorus: Instantaneous Coherent Delocalization

Understanding carrier relaxation processes in semiconductors is crucial for designing high-performance optoelectronic and photocatalytic devices. Recent transient spectroscopic experiments on two-dimensional materials have revealed ultrafast optical responses within several tens of femtoseconds, which are usually ascribed to electron-electron scattering. Here, by conducting quantum dynamics simulations for monolayer black phosphorus, we show that electron-phonon scattering also profoundly influences the early stage of carrier dynamics. The photogenerated electron generally undergoes phonon-mediated instantaneous coherent delocalization in reciprocal space, accompanied by an entropy-driven sharp change in electronic energy. The distribution of the density of states controls the energy exchange between the electron and lattice vibrations. The phonon-induced quantum coherence significantly suspends the energy relaxation time, which is very beneficial for harvesting electron excess energy. These findings offer novel insights into the ultrafast carrier dynamics and energy flow in two-dimensional materials and may prompt new opportunities for regulation of carrier dynamic behaviors.

Hydrogen-Terminated Two-Dimensional Germanane/Silicane Alloys as Self-Powered Photodetectors and Sensors

2D monoelemental materials, particularly germanene and silicene (the single layer of germanium and silicon), which are the base materials for modern electronic devices demonstrated tremendous attraction for their 2D layer structure along with the tuneable electronics and optical band gap. The major shortcoming of synthesized thermodynamically very unstable layered germanene and silicene with their inclination toward oxidation was overcome by topochemical deintercalation of a Zintl phase (CaGe₂, CaGe_1.5Si_0.5, and CaGeSi) in a protic environment. The exfoliated Ge-H, Ge_0.75Si_0.25H, and Ge_0.5Si_0.5H were successfully synthesized and employed as the active layer for photoelectrochemical photodetectors, which showed broad response (420-940 nm), unprecedented responsivity, and detectivity on the order of 168 μA W^-1 and 3.45 × 10⁸ cm Hz^1/2 W^-1, respectively. The sensing capability of exfoliated germanane and silicane composites was explored using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy with ultrafast response and recovery time of less than 1 s. These positive findings serve as the application of exfoliated germanene and silicene composites and can pave a new path to practical applications in efficient future devices.

Recent Advances and Perspectives of Lewis Acidic Etching Route: An Emerging Preparation Strategy for MXenes

Since the discovery in 2011, MXenes have become the rising star in the field of two-dimensional materials. Benefiting from the metallic-level conductivity, large and adjustable gallery spacing, low ion diffusion barrier, rich surface chemistry, superior mechanical strength, MXenes exhibit great application prospects in energy storage and conversion, sensors, optoelectronics, electromagnetic interference shielding and biomedicine. Nevertheless, two issues seriously deteriorate the further development of MXenes. One is the high experimental risk of common preparation methods such as HF etching, and the other is the difficulty in obtaining MXenes with controllable surface groups. Recently, Lewis acidic etching, as a brand-new preparation strategy for MXenes, has attracted intensive attention due to its high safety and the ability to endow MXenes with uniform terminations. However, a comprehensive review of Lewis acidic etching method has not been reported yet. Herein, we first introduce the Lewis acidic etching from the following four aspects: etching mechanism, terminations regulation, in-situ formed metals and delamination of multi-layered MXenes. Further, the applications of MXenes and MXene-based hybrids obtained by Lewis acidic etching route in energy storage and conversion, sensors and microwave absorption are carefully summarized. Finally, some challenges and opportunities of Lewis acidic etching strategy are also presented.

Insights into the Dynamic Evolution of Defects in Electrocatalysts

This review focuses on the formation and preparation of defects, the dynamic evolution process of defects, and the influence of defect dynamic evolution on catalytic reactions. The summary of the current advances in the dynamic evolution process of defects in oxygen evolution reaction, hydrogen evolution reaction, nitrogen reduction reaction, oxygen reduction reaction, and carbon dioxide reduction reaction, and the given perspectives are expected to provide a more comprehensive understanding of defective electrocatalysts on the structural evolution process during electrocatalysis and the reaction mechanisms, especially for the defect dynamic evolution on the performance in catalytic reactions.

Construction of an aflatoxin aptamer sensor based on a DNA nanoprism structure

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a group of heterocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon secondary metabolites, which are the most toxic among the known fungal toxins. Therefore, it becomes particularly important to develop sensitive, accurate, rapid and simple methods for the detection of AFB1. In this work, a method of constructing aflatoxin aptasensor with black phosphorus nano sheet loaded with gold nanoparticles as electrode modification material, Ce-metal organic framework (MOF) material as signal label and prism DNA nano structure modified electrode as recognition interface is proposed. The hybridization between prism DNA and primer probe was used to trigger rolling circle amplification (RCA) on the electrode surface, and then the complementary chain modified with Au NPs@Ce-MOF is bound to the amplification chain to provide electrochemical signals. In the range of 0.024-100 ng mL-1, the response current showed a good linear relationship with the logarithm of aflatoxin concentration, the linear equation was I = 6.4181 lg c + 11.975 with the linear correlation coefficient of 0.9973, and the detection limit was 1.48 pg mL-1 (S/N = 3).

Preparation and Application of Electrochemical Horseradish Peroxidase Sensor Based on a Black Phosphorene and Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Nanocomposite

To design a new electrochemical horseradish peroxidase (HRP) biosensor with excellent analytical performance, black phosphorene (BP) nanosheets and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) nanocomposites were used as the modifier, with a carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) as the substrate electrode. The SWCNTs-BP nanocomposite was synthesized by a simple in situ mixing procedure and modified on the CILE surface by the direct casting method. Then HRP was immobilized on the modified electrode with Nafion film. The electrocatalysis of this electrochemical HRP biosensor to various targets was further explored. Experimental results indicated that the direct electrochemistry of HRP was realized with a pair of symmetric and quasi-reversible redox peaks appeared, which was due to the presence of SWCNTs-BP on the surface of CILE, exhibiting synergistic effects with high electrical conductivity and good biocompatibility. Excellent electrocatalytic activity to trichloroacetic acid (TCA), sodium nitrite (NaNO₂), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) were realized, with a wide linear range and a low detection limit. Different real samples, such as a medical facial peel solution, the soak water of pickled vegetables, and a 3% H₂O₂ disinfectant, were further analyzed, with satisfactory results, further proving the potential practical applications for the electrochemical biosensor.

MoO3 Interlayer Modification on the Electronic Structure of Co/BP Interface

The modification by molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) buffer layer on the electronic structure between Co and black phosphorus (BP) was investigated with ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that the MoO3 buffer layer could effectively prevent the destruction of the outermost BP lattice during the Co deposition, with the symmetry of the lattice remaining maintained. There is a noticeable interfacial charge transfer in addition to the chemical reaction between Co and MoO3. The growth pattern of Co deposited onto the MoO3/BP film is the island growth mode. The observations reveal the significance of a MoO3 buffer layer on the electronic structure between Co and black phosphorus and provide help for the design of high-performance Co/BP-based spintronic devices.

Two-Dimensional Black Phosphorus: Preparation, Passivation and Lithium-Ion Battery Applications

As a new type of single element direct-bandgap semiconductor, black phosphorus (BP) shows many excellent characteristics due to its unique two-dimensional (2D) structure, which has great potential in the fields of optoelectronics, biology, sensing, information, and so on. In recent years, a series of physical and chemical methods have been developed to modify the surface of 2D BP to inhibit its contact with water and oxygen and improve the stability and physical properties of 2D BP. By doping and coating other materials, the stability of BP applied in the anode of a lithium-ion battery was improved. In this work, the preparation, passivation, and lithium-ion battery applications of two-dimensional black phosphorus are summarized and reviewed. Firstly, a variety of BP preparation methods are summarized. Secondly, starting from the environmental instability of BP, different passivation technologies are compared. Thirdly, the applications of BP in energy storage are introduced, especially the application of BP-based materials in lithium-ion batteries. Finally, based on preparation, surface functionalization, and lithium-ion battery of 2D BP, the current research status and possible future development direction are put forward.

The First-Principle Study on Tuning Optical Properties of MA2Z4 by Cr Replacement of Mo Atoms in MoSi2N4

Recently, with the successful preparation of MoSi2N4, an emerging family of two-dimensional (2D) layered materials has been predicted with a general formula of MA2Z4 (M: an early transition metal, A: Si or Ge and Z: N, P, or As). In terms of this new type of 2D material, how to effectively tune its light absorption properties is unclear. We systematically discuss the effects of replacing Mo with Cr atoms on the lattice structure, energy bands, and light absorption properties of 2D monolayer MoSi2N4 using density functional theory (DFT) and the Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package (VASP). Additionally, the results show that the single replacement of the atom Cr has no significant effect on the lattice structure of the outermost and sub-outer layers but plays a major role in the accumulation of electrons. In addition, the 2D MoSi2N4, Mo0.5Cr0.5Si2N4, and CrSi2N4 all have effective electron-hole separation properties. In the visible region, as the excited state increases, the required excitation energy is higher and the corresponding wavelength of light is shorter. It was found that the ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectra are red-shifted when Cr atoms replace Mo atoms in MoSi2N4; when Cr atoms and Mo atoms coexist, the coupling between Cr atoms and Mo atoms achieves modulation of the ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectra. Finally, we reveal that doping M-site atoms can effectively tune the light absorption properties of MA2Z4 materials. These results provide a strategy for the design of new 2D materials with high absorption properties.

Sustained Biotic-Abiotic Hybrids Methanogenesis Enabled Using Metal-Free Black Phosphorus/Carbon Nitride

Biotic-abiotic hybrid systems (BAHs) constructed by integrating biological methanogens with photocatalysts offer novel approaches for the effective solar-driven conversion of CO2 to CH4, providing significant inspiration for achieving carbon neutrality and alleviating the energy crisis. As metal photocatalysts would cause photocorrosion that damages microbial cells and lead to system imbalance. Therefore, exploring suitable metal-free photocatalysts is of particular importance in the search for more efficient and sustainable BAHs to improve the actual operability and applicability. Herein, black phosphorus/carbon nitride (BPCNx) as an alternative metal-free heterostructure was combined with Methanosarcina barkeri (M. barkeri) to construct M. barkeri-BPCNx hybrid systems, and their cyclic methanogenesis performance was investigated. Our results demonstrated that BPCNx promotes the separation of photogenerated charges and enhances the quantum yield, providing a sustained energy source for the cyclically driven M. barkeri reduction of CO2 to CH4 under visible light. Our system achieved a total CH4 yield of 1087.45 ± 29.14 μmol gcat–1 after three cycles, 1.96 times higher than that of M. barkeri-Ni@CdS. M. barkeri-BPCNx overcame the defects of the metal photocatalyst and kept cell permeability, achieving cyclic stability and effectively maintaining the activity of M. barkeri. These results highlight the viable role of BPCNx as a metal-free photocatalysts in the construction of BAHs for the sustained and efficient methanation of CO2, which is conducive to the development of an environmentally-friendly, low-cost, and efficient strategy for the conversion of CO2 to CH4.

Interface-Coupling of NiFe-LDH on Exfoliated Black Phosphorus for the High-Performance Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) always plays an important role in many electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems. Owing to the slow kinetics mainly brought from multiple proton-coupled electron transfer steps, the design and exploit low-cost, highly active, durable OER electrocatalysts are of significant importance. Although the black phosphorus (BP) shows good electrocatalytic OER performance, it still faces the problems of poor intrinsic activity and low stability due to its instability under ambient conditions. The NiFe-LDH was assembled onto the surfaces of exfoliated BP (EBP) nanoflakes to realize the interfacial coupling between them, achieving an effective improvement in electrocatalytic activity and stability. Benefitting from the interfacial P-O bonding, the NiFe-LDH@EBP hybrid shows high OER activity with a low overpotential of ∼240 mV@10 mA cm⁻² toward OER under alkaline conditions, as well as the good stability. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations proved that the interface-coupling of NiFe-LDH on BP promotes charge transfer kinetics and balances the adsorption/desorption of reaction intermediates, ultimately imparting excellent OER electrocatalytic activity.

Surface Modification of 2D Photocatalysts for Solar Energy Conversion

2D materials show many particular properties, such as high surface-to-volume ratio, high anisotropic degree, and adjustable chemical functionality. These unique properties in 2D materials have sparked immense interest due to their applications in photocatalytic systems, resulting in significantly enhanced light capture, charge-transfer kinetics, and surface reaction. Herein, the research progress in 2D photocatalysts based on varied compositions and functions, followed by specific surface modification strategies, is introduced. Fundamental principles focusing on light harvesting, charge separation, and molecular adsorption/activation in the 2D-material-based photocatalytic system are systemically explored. The examples described here detail the use of 2D materials in various photocatalytic energy-conversion systems, including water splitting, carbon dioxide reduction, nitrogen fixation, hydrogen peroxide production, and organic synthesis. Finally, by elaborating the challenges and possible solutions for developing these 2D materials, the review is expected to provide some inspiration for the future research of 2D materials used on efficient photocatalytic energy conversions.

Recent advances in biomedical applications of 2D nanomaterials with peroxidase-like properties

Significant progress has been made in developing two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials owing to their ultra-thin structure, high specific surface area, and many other advantages. Recently, 2D nanomaterials with enzyme-like properties, especially peroxidase (POD)-like activity, are highly desirable for many biomedical applications. In this review, we first classify the types of 2D POD-like nanomaterials and then summarize various strategies for endowing 2D nanomaterials with POD-like properties. Representative examples of biomedical applications are reviewed, emphasizing in antibacterial, biosensing, and cancer therapy. Last, the future challenges and prospects of 2D POD-like nanomaterials are discussed. This review is expected to provide an in-depth understanding of 2D POD-like materials for biomedical applications.

Development of bacterial resistance induced by low concentration of two-dimensional black phosphorus via mutagenesis

The wide use of nano-antibacterial materials has triggered concerns over the development of nanomaterials-associated bacterial resistance. Two-dimensional (2D) black phosphorus (BP) as a new class of emerging 2D nanomaterial has displayed excellent antibacterial performance. However, whether bacteria repeatedly exposed to 2D BP can develop resistance is not clear. We found that wild type E. coli K-12 MG 1655 strains can increase resistance to 2D-BP nanosheets after repeated exposure with subinhibitory concentration of 2D-BP nanosheets. Adaptive morphogenesis including the reinforced barrier function of cell membrane were observed in the resistant bacteria, which enhanced the resistance of bacteria to 2D-BP nanosheets. The whole-genome sequencing analysis showed that the three mutation genes including dmdA, mntP, and gyrA genes were observed in the 2D-BP resistant strains, which controlled catabolism, membrane structure, and DNA replication, respectively. Furthermore, transcriptional sequencing confirmed that these genes related to metabolization, membrane structure, and cell motility were upregulated in the 2D-BP resistant bacteria. The development of resistance to 2D-BP in bacteria mainly attributed to the changes in energy metabolism and membrane structure of bacteria caused by gene mutations. In addition, the up-regulated function of cell motility also helped the bacteria to develop resistance by escaping external stimuli. The results provided new evidence for understanding an important effect of nano-antibacterial materials on the development of bacterial resistance.

The wide use of nano-antibacterial materials has triggered concerns over the development of nanomaterials-associated bacterial resistance.

Effect of non-magnetic doping on magnetic state and Li/Na adsorption and diffusion of black phosphorene

Black phosphorene (BP) have aroused great concern because of its great potential for the application in nanoelectronic devices and high-performance anode materials for alkali metal ion batteries (AIBs). However, the absence of magnetism for an ideal BP limits its wide application in spintronic devices which is one of the important nanoelectronic devices, and its application as a high-performance anode material for AIBs is still to be explored. In this paper, we adopt first-principles calculations to explore the effects of B, C, N, O, F, Al, Si and S atom doping on the magnetic state of monolayer BP and Li or Na atom adsorption and diffusion on the BP. Additionally, the thermal stability of the doped BP systems at room temperature is revealed by theab initiomolecular-dynamics calculations. Our calculated results indicate that O and S doping can make the doped BP become a magnetic semiconductor, C and Si doping makes the doped BP be metallic, and B, N, F and Al doping preserves semiconductor property. Moreover, little structural changes and significant decreases of diffusion barriers in armchair direction and slight increases of diffusion barriers in zigzag direction make B-doped BP beneficial as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). It reveals that S-doping is suitable for improving the performance of SIBs rather than LIBs. Interestingly, it is found that magnetic states of O- and S-doped BP disappear when Li or Na atoms adsorb on them, whereas Li or Na adsorption on B- and Al-doped BP induces magnetic states of these systems. The analyses indicate that the distinct electron transfer between the dopant atom, adatom and neighboring P atoms, and specific electron configuration of dopant atoms cause the magnetism of the systems. Our results suggest that selecting appropriate composition to dope can effectively manipulate magnetic state and improve Li/Na adsorption and diffusion on the BP. These results may inspire further theoretical and experimental exploration on doped two-dimensional (2D) materials in spintronics and doped 2D promising anode materials for high-performance metal ion batteries.

Simulating and Predicting Adsorption of Organic Pollutants onto Black Phosphorus Nanomaterials

Layered black phosphorus (BP) has exhibited exciting application prospects in diverse fields. Adsorption of organics onto BP may influence environmental behavior and toxicities of both organic pollutants and BP nanomaterials. However, contributions of various intermolecular interactions to the adsorption remain unclear, and values of adsorption parameters such as adsorption energies (E_ad) and adsorption equilibrium constants (K) are lacking. Herein, molecular dynamic (MD) and density functional theory (DFT) was adopted to calculate E_ad and K values. The calculated E_ad and K values for organics adsorbed onto graphene were compared with experimental ones, so as to confirm the reliability of the calculation methods. Polyparameter linear free energy relationship (pp-LFER) models on E_ad and logK were developed to estimate contributions of different intermolecular interactions to the adsorption. The adsorption in the gaseous phase was found to be more favorable than in the aqueous phase, as the adsorbates need to overcome cohesive energies of water molecules onto BP. The affinity of the aromatics to BP was comparable to that of graphene. The pp-LFER models performed well for predicting the E_ad and K values, with external explained variance ranging from 0.90 to 0.97, and can serve as effective tools to rank adsorption capacities of organics onto BP.

Metal-Organic Framework Based Gas Sensors

The ever-increasing concerns over indoor/outdoor air quality, industrial gas leakage, food freshness, and medical diagnosis require miniaturized gas sensors with excellent sensitivity, selectivity, stability, low power consumption, cost-effectiveness, and long lifetime. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), featuring structural diversity, large specific surface area, controllable pore size/geometry, and host-guest interactions, hold great promises for fabricating various MOF-based devices for diverse applications including gas sensing. Tremendous progress has been made in the past decade on the fabrication of MOF-based sensors with elevated sensitivity and selectivity toward various analytes due to their preconcentrating and molecule-sieving effects. Although several reviews have recently summarized different aspects of this field, a comprehensive review focusing on MOF-based gas sensors is absent. In this review, the latest advance of MOF-based gas sensors relying on different transduction mechanisms, for example, chemiresistive, capacitive/impedimetric, field-effect transistor or Kelvin probe-based, mass-sensitive, and optical ones are comprehensively summarized. The latest progress for making large-area MOF films essential to the mass-production of relevant gas sensors is also included. The structural and compositional features of MOFs are intentionally correlated with the sensing performance. Challenges and opportunities for the further development and practical applications of MOF-based gas sensors are also given.

Surface-Dependent Intermediate Adsorption Modulation on Iridium-Modified Black Phosphorus Electrocatalysts for Efficient pH-Universal Water Splitting

2D black phosphorus (BP) is one promising electrocatalyst toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysis. The too strong adsorption of oxygen intermediates during OER, while the too weak adsorption of hydrogen intermediate during HER, however, greatly compromise its practical water splitting applications with overpotentials as high as 450 mV for OER and 420 mV for HER to achieve 10 mA cm^-2 under alkaline conditions. Herein, by rationally introducing the nanosized iridium (Ir) modifier together with optimized exposing surface toward electrolytes, an efficient Ir-modified BP electrocatalyst with much favorable adsorption energies toward catalytic intermediates possesses an outstanding pH-universal water splitting performance, surpassing the nearly all reported BP-based catalysts and the commercial noble-metal catalysts. The Ir-modified BP catalyst with the optimized exposed surfaces only requires an overall cell voltage of 1.54 and 1.57 V to achieve 10 mA cm^-2 in acidic and alkaline electrolysers, respectively. This design uncovers the potential applications of 2D BP in practical electrocatalysis fields via decreasing reaction intermediate adsorption energy barriers and promoting the interfacial electron coupling for heterostructured catalysts, and offers new insights into the surface-dependent activity enhancement mechanism.

Strategies for Developing Transition Metal Phosphides in Electrochemical Water Splitting

Electrochemical water splitting involving hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a greatly promising technology to generate sustainable and renewable energy resources, which relies on the exploration regarding the design of electrocatalysts with high efficiency, high stability, and low cost. Transition metal phosphides (TMPs), as nonprecious metallic electrocatalysts, have been extensively investigated and proved to be high-efficient electrocatalysts in both HER and OER. In this minireview, a general overview of recent progress in developing high-performance TMP electrocatalysts for electrochemical water splitting has been presented. Design strategies including composition engineering by element doping, hybridization, and tuning the molar ratio, structure engineering by porous structures, nanoarray structures, and amorphous structures, and surface/interface engineering by tuning surface wetting states, facet control, and novel substrate are summarized. Key scientific problems and prospective research directions are also briefly discussed.

Light-driven oxygen evolution from water oxidation with immobilised TiO2 engineered for high performance

Calcination treatments in the range of 500–900 °C of TiO₂ synthesised by the sol–gel resulted in materials with variable physicochemical (i.e., optical, specific surface area, crystallite size and crystalline phase) and morphological properties. The photocatalytic performance of the prepared materials was evaluated in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) following UV-LED irradiation of aqueous solutions containing iron ions as sacrificial electron acceptors. The highest activity for water oxidation was obtained with the photocatalyst thermally treated at 700 °C (TiO₂-700). Photocatalysts with larger anatase to rutile ratio of the crystalline phases and higher surface density of oxygen vacancies (defects) displayed the best performance in OER. The oxygen defects at the photocatalyst surface have proven to be responsible for the enhanced photoactivity, acting as important active adsorption sites for water oxidation. Seeking technological application, water oxidation was accomplished by immobilising the photocatalyst with the highest OER rate measured under the established batch conditions (TiO₂-700). Experiments operating under continuous mode revealed a remarkable efficiency for oxygen production, exceeding 12% of the apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) at 384 nm (UV-LED system) compared to the batch operation mode.

End Group Modification for Black Phosphorus: Simultaneous Improvement of Chemical Stability and Gas Sensing Performance

Black phosphorus (BP) nanosheets have been receiving attention for gas sensing showing superior sensitivity and selectivity among various two-dimensional materials. However, the instability of BP nanosheets due to chemical degradation, especially in humid environments, has severely limited their potential applications. Here, we propose to control the chemical stability of BP nanosheets through modifying their end groups via silanization treatment. Compared with other chemical passivation methods, the end group modification strategy proposed here can be well-controlled and results in little variation in the electronic structure of the puckered phosphorus plane. The results show that modification with fluoroalkylsilane leads the hydrophilic BP to become hydrophobic and exhibits extended chemical stability in oxidizing, humid environments. The sensitivity of fluoroalkylsilane-modified BP (F-BP) to NO₂ improved by 3.9-fold in comparison with that of pristine BP nanosheets. More importantly, the NO₂ sensing response could remain stable under changing relative humidity ranging from 5% to 95%. Such excellent sensing performance is ascribed to the strong interaction between NO₂ and BP decorated with fluoroalkylsilane, as confirmed by density functional theory calculations. This work offers an effective means for preventing degradation of BP in ambient environments and provides a promising solution to solve the issue regarding humidity dependence in gas sensors.

Emerging beyond-graphene elemental 2D materials for energy and catalysis applications

Elemental two-dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as promising candidates for energy and catalysis applications due to their unique physical, chemical, and electronic properties. These materials are advantageous in offering massive surface-to-volume ratios, favorable transport properties, intriguing physicochemical properties, and confinement effects resulting from the 2D ultrathin structure. In this review, we focus on the recent advances in emerging energy and catalysis applications based on beyond-graphene elemental 2D materials. First, we briefly introduce the general classification, structure, and properties of elemental 2D materials and the new advances in material preparation. We then discuss various applications in energy harvesting and storage, including solar cells, piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerators, thermoelectric devices, batteries, and supercapacitors. We further discuss the explorations of beyond-graphene elemental 2D materials for electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, and heterogeneous catalysis. Finally, the challenges and perspectives for the future development of elemental 2D materials in energy and catalysis are discussed.

Black Phosphorus/Polymers: Status and Challenges

As a newly emerged mono-elemental nanomaterial, black phosphorus (BP) has been widely investigated for its fascinating physical properties, including layer-dependent tunable band gap (0.3-1.5 eV), high ON/OFF ratio (10⁴ ), high carrier mobility (10³ cm² V^-1 s^-1 ), excellent mechanical resistance, as well as special in-plane anisotropic optical, thermal, and vibrational characteristics. However, the instability caused by chemical degradation of its surface has posed a severe challenge for its further applications. A focused BP/polymer strategy has more recently been developed and implemented to hurdle this issue, so at present BP/polymers have been developed that exhibit enhanced stability, as well as outstanding optical, thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties. This has promoted researchers to further explore the potential applications of black phosphorous. In this review, the preparation processes and the key properties of BP/polymers are reviewed, followed by a detailed account of their diversified applications, including areas like optoelectronics, bio-medicine, and energy storage. Finally, in accordance with the current progress, the prospective challenges and future directions are highlighted and discussed.

Real-Time Biomonitoring Device Based on 2D Black Phosphorus and Polyaniline Nanocomposite Flexible Supercapacitors

Flexible energy storage devices are becoming significantly important to power wearable and portable devices that monitor physiological parameters for many biomedical applications. Many hybrid nanomaterials based on 2D materials are used in order to improve the performance of flexible energy storage devices. Here, a hybrid nanocomposite is synthesized through in situ polymerization of aniline in the presence of black phosphorus (BP) nanoflakes. This nanocomposite, polyaniline (PANI)@BP, is employed to fabricate flexible supercapacitor (FSC) electrodes. PANI@BP FSCs can provide a power source for biometric devices. The generated signal can be transmitted to a smartphone in real time via wireless communication. Such a compact and lightweight integrated device has been used to track a human heart beat while powered by PANI@BP FSC. These findings are providing a promising example of a flexible energy storage device that can be integrated with different real-time health monitoring devices.

Phosphorene and phosphorene oxides as a toxic gas sensor materials: a theoretical study

A systematic study of the adsorption of several harmful gases (CO₂, NO, SO₂, NH₃y H₂S) onto black phosphorene and three different black phosphorene oxides (BPO) is carried out through density functional theory calculations. In general, it is shown that BPOs are more suitable adsorbents than pure black phosphorene. Smaller values of adsorption energy correspond to CO₂molecules, whilst those exhibiting larger ones are NH₃, H₂S, NO y SO₂. It is found that SO₂shows the greater difference in electronic charge transfer as well as the longer time of recovery among all species, being an electron acceptor molecule. Besides, it is revealed that physisorption induces changes of different order in the electronic, magnetic and optical responses of phosphorene systems involved. Greater changes in the electronic structure are produced in the case of NO adsorption. In that case, semiconductor nature and magnetization features of black phosphorene band structure become significantly modified. Moreover, a notorious effect of an externally applied electric field on the molecule adsorption onto BPOs has been detected. In accordance, adsorption energy changes with the applied electric field direction, in such a way that the higher value is favored through an upwards-directed orientation of NO y SO₂adsorbates. Results presented could help to enhancing the understanding of BPOs as possible candidates for applications in gas sensing.

Light-Driven Self-Oscillating Actuators with Phototactic Locomotion Based on Black Phosphorus Heterostructure

Developing self-oscillating soft actuators that enable autonomous, continuous, and directional locomotion is significant in biomimetic soft robotics fields, but remains great challenging. Here, an untethered soft photoactuators based on covalently-bridged black phosphorus-carbon nanotubes heterostructure with self-oscillation and phototactic locomotion under constant light irradiation is designed. Owing to the good photothermal effect of black phosphorus heterostructure and thermal deformation of the actuator components, the new actuator assembled by heterostructured black phosphorus, polymer and paper produces light-driven reversible deformation with fast and large response. By using this actuator as mechanical power and designing a robot configuration with self-feedback loop to generate self-oscillation, an inchworm-like actuator that can crawl autonomously towards the light source is constructed. Moreover, due to the anisotropy and tailorability of the actuator, an artificial crab robot that can simulate the sideways locomotion of crabs and simultaneously change color under light irradiation is also realized.

Interlayer Coordination of Pd-Pd Units in Exfoliated Black Phosphorus

The chemical functionalization of 2D exfoliated black phosphorus (2D BP) continues to attract great interest, although a satisfactory structural characterization of the functionalized material has seldom been achieved. Herein, we provide the first complete structural characterization of 2D BP functionalized with rare discrete Pd₂ units, obtained through a mild decomposition of the organometallic dimeric precursor [Pd(η³-C₃H₅)Cl]₂. A multitechnique approach, including HAADF-STEM, solid-state NMR, XPS, and XAS, was used to study in detail the morphology of the palladated nanosheets (Pd₂/BP) and to unravel the coordination of Pd₂ units to phosphorus atoms of 2D BP. In particular, XAS, backed up by DFT modeling, revealed the existence of unprecedented interlayer Pd–Pd units, sandwiched between stacked BP layers. The preliminary application of Pd₂/BP as a catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic medium highlighted an activity increase due to the presence of Pd₂ units.

Polarization independent and non-reciprocal absorption in multi-layer anisotropic black phosphorus metamaterials

The polarization independent and non-reciprocal absorption is particularly crucial for the realization of non-reciprocal absorption devices. Herein, we proposed and studied the absorption response of two- and three-layer anisotropic black phosphorus (BP) metamaterials by using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation and radiation oscillator theory (ROT) analysis. It is shown that, due to unequal surface plasmon resonant modes excited in zigzag (ZZ) and armchair (AC) directions of the anisotropic BP layer, tunable polarization independent and dependent absorption can be achieved for the proposed multi-layer anisotropic BP metamaterials with AC-AC, AC-ZZ, ZZ-AC, AC-AC-φ, AC-ZZ-φ, and ZZ-AC-φ configurations. Especially, the polarization independent absorption also can be realized for odd-layer BP nanostructures. Unlike previous reports, polarization independence only can be achieved in the even-layer BP nanostructure. Moreover, tunable non-reciprocal absorption with the extremely large non-reciprocal degree (NRD) is also found in the case of AC-ZZ and ZZ-AC configurations and AC-ZZ-φ and ZZ-AC-φ configurations. These results may open up the possibility of realizing tunable polarization independent and non-reciprocal plasmonic devices based on 2D materials.

Extending photocatalysis to the visible and NIR: the molecular strategy

Photocatalysis exploits light to perform important processes as solar fuel production by water splitting, and CO2 reduction or water and air decontamination. Therefore, photocatalysis contributes to the satisfaction of the increasing needs for clean energy, environmental remediation and, most recently, sanification. Most of the efficient semiconductor nanoparticles (NP), developed as photocatalysts, work in the ultraviolet (UV) spectral region and they are not able to exploit either visible (Vis) or near infrared (NIR) radiation. This limitation makes them unable to fully exploit the broad band solar radiaton or to be applied in indoor conditions. Recently, different approaches have been developed to extend the spectral activity of semiconductor NP, like for example band-gap engineering, integration with upconversion NP and plasmonic enhancement involving also hot-electron injection. Nevertheless, the use of organic molecules and metal complexes, for enhancing the photoactivity in the Vis and NIR, was one of the first strategies proposed for sensitization and it is still one of the most efficient. In this minireview we highlight and critically discuss the most recent and relevant achievements in the field of photocatalysis obtained by exploiting dye sensitization either via dynamic or static quenching.

Constructing Zn-P charge transfer bridge over ZnFe2O4-black phosphorus 3D microcavity structure: Efficient photocatalyst design in visible-near-infrared region

Black phosphorus (BP) is one of the most promising visible-near-infrared light-driven photocatalysts with favorite photoelectric properties and unique tunable direct band gap. Nevertheless, the further development of BP is hindered by the fast carrier recombination rate and high Gibbs free energy. Herein, an innovative strategy is developed for the controllable construction of Zn-P bonds induced zinc ferrite/black phosphorus (ZnFe₂O₄-BP) three dimensions (3D) microcavity structure. The Zn-P bonds serve as an efficient channel to optimize the carrier transport and Gibbs free energy of BP simultaneously. Besides, the unique 3D core-shell microcavity structure maintains the multiple reflections of sunlight inside the catalysts, which greatly improves the sunlight utilization upon photocatalysis. An optimized photocatalytic hydrogen production rate of 560 µmol h^-1g^-1 under near-infrared light (>820 nm) is achieved. A possible photocatalytic mechanism is proposed based on a series of experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations, this work provides a new sight to design high-quantity BP-based full-spectrum photocatalysts for solar energy conversion.

Understanding Sulfur Redox Mechanisms in Different Electrolytes for Room-Temperature Na-S Batteries

This work reports influence of two different electrolytes, carbonate ester and ether electrolytes, on the sulfur redox reactions in room-temperature Na-S batteries. Two sulfur cathodes with different S loading ratio and status are investigated. A sulfur-rich composite with most sulfur dispersed on the surface of a carbon host can realize a high loading ratio (72% S). In contrast, a confined sulfur sample can encapsulate S into the pores of the carbon host with a low loading ratio (44% S). In carbonate ester electrolyte, only the sulfur trapped in porous structures is active via 'solid-solid' behavior during cycling. The S cathode with high surface sulfur shows poor reversible capacity because of the severe side reactions between the surface polysulfides and the carbonate ester solvents. To improve the capacity of the sulfur-rich cathode, ether electrolyte with NaNO₃ additive is explored to realize a 'solid-liquid' sulfur redox process and confine the shuttle effect of the dissolved polysulfides. As a result, the sulfur-rich cathode achieved high reversible capacity (483 mAh g^-1), corresponding to a specific energy of 362 Wh kg^-1 after 200 cycles, shedding light on the use of ether electrolyte for high-loading sulfur cathode.

Strain-Induced Tunable Band Offsets in Blue Phosphorus and WSe2 van der Waals Heterostructure

The electronic structure and band offsets of blue phosphorus/WSe2 van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure are investigated via performing first-principles calculations. Blue phosphorus/WSe2 vdW heterostructure exhibits modulation of bandgaps by the applied vertical compressive strain, and a large compressive strain of more than 23% leads to a semiconductor-to-metal transition. Blue phosphorus/WSe2 vdW heterostructure is demonstrated to have a type-II band alignment, which promotes the spontaneous spatial separation of photo-excited electrons and holes. Furthermore, electrons concentrating in BlueP and holes in WSe2 can be enhanced by applied compressive strain, resulting in an increase of carrier concentration. Therefore, these properties make blue phosphorus/WSe2 vdW heterostructure a good candidate for future applications in photodetection.

Simultaneous electrochemical aptasensing of patulin and ochratoxin A in apple juice based on gold nanoparticles decorated black phosphorus nanomaterial

Simultaneous detection of patulin (PAT) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in food products is in great demand, which can prevent toxins from being exposed to human and animal bodies. However, simultaneous detection of multiple targets still faces a challenge. Herein, we developed a novel electrochemical aptasensor for the simultaneous detection of PAT and OTA in apple juice based on gold nanoparticles decorated black phosphorus (AuNPs-BP) nanomaterial. AuNPs-BP function?/work? as a sensing platform for loading much different electrochemical signal molecules functionalized aptamers. In this context, methylene blue functionalized PAT aptamers (Mb-PAT-aptamers) and ferrocene functionalized OTA aptamers (Fc-OTA-aptamers) have been introduced here to fabricate the aptasensor. Fc close to electrode surface showed a strong signal, whereas Mb was far away from electrode surface so exhibited a weak signal in the absence of OTA and PAT. Two kinds of electrochemical signal changes have been recorded dependent on target of OTA and PAT concentrations. So, simultaneous detection of OTA and PAT is achieved. Under the optimum conditions, using this developed biosensor, PAT and OTA can be quantified at a linearity range of 0.01 × 10^-7 μg·mL^-1 ~ 0.10 μg·mL^-1. In addition, it also has good selectivity, stability and repeatability. For the practical application, it shows promising performance for the simultaneous detection of PAT and OTA in apple juice.