Exploring the Formation of Black Phosphorus Intercalation Compounds with Alkali Metals

Surface Engineering of Two-Dimensional Black Phosphorus for Advanced Nanophotonics

ConspectusEverything in the world has two sides. We should correctly understand its two sides to pursue the positive side and get rid of the negative side. Recently, two-dimensional (2D) black phosphorus (BP) has received a tremendous amount of attention and has been applied for broad applications in optoelectronics, transistors, logic devices, and biomedicines due to its intrinsic properties, e.g., thickness-dependent bandgap, high mobility, highly anisotropic charge transport, and excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility. On one hand, rapid degradation of 2D BP under ambient conditions becomes a vital bottleneck that largely hampers its practical applications in optical and optoelectronic devices and photocatalysis. On the other hand, just because of its ambient instability, 2D BP as a novel kind of nanomedicine in a cancer drug delivery system can not only satisfy effective cancer therapy but also enable its safe biodegradation in vivo. Until now, a variety of surface functionality types and approaches have been employed to rationally modify 2D BP to meet the growing requirements of advanced nanophotonics.In this Account, we describe our research on surface engineering of 2D BP in two opposite ways: (i) stabilizing 2D BP by various approaches for advanced nanophotonic devices with both remarkable photoresponse behavior and environmentally structural stability and (ii) making full use of biodegradation, biocompatibility, and biological activity (e.g., photothermal therapy, photodynamic therapy, and bioimaging) of 2D BP for the construction of high-performance delivery nanoplatforms for biophotonic applications. We highlight the targeted aims of the surface-engineered 2D BP for advanced nanophotonics, including photonic devices (optics, optoelectronics, and photocatalysis) and photoinduced cancer therapy, by means of various surface functionalities, such as heteroatom incorporation, polymer functionalization, coating, heterostructure design, etc. From the viewpoint of potential applications, the fundamental properties of surface-engineered 2D BP and recent advances in surface-engineered 2D BP-based nanophotonic devices are briefly discussed. For the photonic devices, surface-engineered 2D BP can not only effectively improve environmentally structural stability but also simultaneously maintain photoresponse performance, enabling 2D BP-based devices for a wide range of practical applications. In terms of the photoinduced cancer therapy, surface-engineered 2D BP is more appropriate for the treatment of cancer due to negligible toxicity and excellent biodegradation and biocompatibility. We also provide our perspectives on future opportunities and challenges in this important and fast-growing field. It is envisioned that this Account can attract more attention in this area and inspire more scientists in a variety of research communities to accelerate the development of 2D BP for more widespread high-performance nanophotonic applications.

Characterization of emerging 2D materials after chemical functionalization

The chemical modification of 2D materials has proven a powerful tool to fine tune their properties. With this motivation, the development of new reactions has moved extremely fast. The need for speed, together with the intrinsic heterogeneity of the samples, has sometimes led to permissiveness in the purification and characterization protocols. In this review, we present the main tools available for the chemical characterization of functionalized 2D materials, and the information that can be derived from each of them. We then describe examples of chemical modification of 2D materials other than graphene, focusing on the chemical description of the products. We have intentionally selected examples where an above-average characterization effort has been carried out, yet we find some cases where further information would have been welcome. Our aim is to bring together the toolbox of techniques and practical examples on how to use them, to serve as guidelines for the full characterization of covalently modified 2D materials.

Investigating the mechanism of phosphorene nanoribbon synthesis by discharging black phosphorus intercalation compounds

Phosphorene nanoribbons (PNRs) can be synthesised in intrinsically scalable methods from intercalation of black phosphorus (BP), however, the mechanism of ribbonisation remains unclear. Herein, to investigate the point at which nanoribbons form, we decouple the two key synthesis steps: first, the formation of the BP intercalation compound, and second, the dissolution into a polar aprotic solvent. We find that both the lithium intercalant and the negative charge on the phosphorus host framework can be effectively removed by addition of phenyl cyanide to return BP and investigate whether fracturing to ribbons occurred after the first step. Further efforts to exfoliate mechanically with or without solvent reveal that the intercalation step does not form ribbons, indicating that an interaction between the amidic solvent and the intercalated phosphorus compound plays an important role in the formation of nanoribbons.

Preparation of electrochemical horseradish peroxidase biosensor with black phosphorene-zinc oxide nanocomposite and their applications

In this work, a novel and sensitive electrochemical biosensor was constructed based on a black phosphorene (BP) and nanosized zinc oxide (ZnO@BP) nanocomposite as a modifier, which was used for the immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on a carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE). The ZnO@BP nanocomposite was synthesized by a simple in situ hydrothermal method with stripped black phosphorus nanoplates and ZnO. The ZnO@BP and HRP-modified electrode was developed by a casting method. ZnO@BP with highly conductivity, large surface area and good biocompatibility could maintain the bioactivity of HRP and accelerate the electron transfer rate. Cyclic voltammetry was used to study the direct electrochemistry of HRP on the Nafion/HRP/ZnO@BP/CILE with the appearance of a pair of distinct redox peaks. The constructed electrochemical HRP biosensor exhibited excellent electrocatalytic effects on the reduction of trichloroacetic acid and sodium nitrite. Real samples were detected with satisfactory results, which demonstrated the potential applications of this electrochemical HRP biosensor.

Synthesis of Black Phosphorene Quantum Dots from Red Phosphorus

Black phosphorene quantum dots (BPQDs) are most commonly derived from high-cost black phosphorus, while previous syntheses from the low-cost red phosphorus (Pred ) allotrope are highly oxidised. Herein, we present an intrinsically scalable method to produce high quality BPQDs, by first ball-milling Pred to create nanocrystalline Pblack and subsequent reductive etching using lithium electride solvated in liquid ammonia. The resultant ~25 nm BPQDs are crystalline with low oxygen content, and spontaneously soluble as individualized monolayers in tertiary amide solvents, as directly imaged by liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy. This new method presents a scalable route to producing quantities of high quality BPQDs for academic and industrial applications.

Production of Magnetic Arsenic-Phosphorus Alloy Nanoribbons with Small Band Gaps and High Hole Conductivities

Quasi-1D nanoribbons provide a unique route to diversifying the properties of their parent 2D nanomaterial, introducing lateral quantum confinement and an abundance of edge sites. Here, a new family of nanomaterials is opened with the creation of arsenic-phosphorus alloy nanoribbons (AsPNRs). By ionically etching the layered crystal black arsenic-phosphorus using lithium electride followed by dissolution in amidic solvents, solutions of AsPNRs are formed. The ribbons are typically few-layered, several micrometers long with widths tens of nanometers across, and both highly flexible and crystalline. The AsPNRs are highly electrically conducting above 130 K due to their small band gap (ca. 0.035 eV), paramagnetic in nature, and have high hole mobilities, as measured with the first generation of AsP devices, directly highlighting their properties and utility in electronic devices such as near-infrared detectors, quantum computing, and charge carrier layers in solar cells.

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.

Chemistry of two-dimensional pnictogens: emerging post-graphene materials for advanced applications

The layered allotropes of group 15 (P, As, Sb and Bi), also called two-dimensional (2D) pnictogens, have emerged as one of the most promising families of post-graphene 2D-materials. This is mainly due to the great variety of properties they exhibit, including layer-dependent bandgap, high charge-carrier mobility and current on/off ratios, strong spin-orbit coupling, wide allotropic diversity and pronounced chemical reactivity. These are key ingredients for exciting applications in (opto)electronics, heterogeneous catalysis, nanomedicine or energy storage and conversion, to name a few. However, there are still many challenges to overcome in order to fully understand their properties and bring them to real applications. As a matter of fact, due to their strong interlayer interactions, the mechanical exfoliation (top-down) of heavy pnictogens (Sb & Bi) is unsatisfactory, requiring the development of new methodologies for the isolation of single layers and the scalable production of high-quality flakes. Moreover, due to their pronounced chemical reactivity, it is necessary to develop passivation strategies, thus preventing environmental degradation, as in the case of bP, or controlling surface oxidation, with the corresponding modification of the interfacial and electronic properties. In this Feature Article we will discuss, among others, the most important contributions carried out in our group, including new liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) processes, bottom-up colloidal approaches, the preparation of intercalation compounds, innovative non-covalent and covalent functionalization protocols or novel concepts for potential applications in catalysis, electronics, photonics, biomedicine or energy storage and conversion. The past years have seen the birth of the chemistry of pnictogens at the nanoscale, and this review intends to highlight the importance of the chemical approach in the successful development of routes to synthesise, passivate, modify, or process these materials, paving the way for their use in applications of great societal impact.

Black Phosphorus Degradation during Intercalation and Alloying in Batteries

Numerous layered materials are being recognized as promising candidates for high-performance alkali-ion battery anodes, but black phosphorus (BP) has received particular attention. This is due to its high specific capacity, due to a mixed alkali-ion storage mechanism (intercalation-alloying), and fast alkali-ion transport within its layers. Unfortunately, BP based batteries are also commonly associated with serious irreversible losses and poor cycling stability. This is known to be linked to alloying, but there is little experimental evidence of the morphological, mechanical, or chemical changes that BP undergoes in operational cells and thus little understanding of the factors that must be mitigated to optimize performance. Here the degradation mechanisms of BP alkali-ion battery anodes are revealed through operando electrochemical atomic force microscopy (EC-AFM) and ex situ spectroscopy. Among other phenomena, BP is observed to wrinkle and deform during intercalation but suffers from complete structural breakdown upon alloying. The solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) is also found to be unstable, nucleating at defects before spreading across the basal planes but then disintegrating upon desodiation, even above alloying potentials. By directly linking these localized phenomena with the whole-cell performance, we can now engineer stabilizing protocols for next-generation high-capacity alkali-ion batteries.

Antimonene: a tuneable post-graphene material for advanced applications in optoelectronics, catalysis, energy and biomedicine

The post-graphene era is undoubtedly marked by two-dimensional (2D) materials such as quasi-van der Waals antimonene. This emerging material has a fascinating structure, exhibits a pronounced chemical reactivity (in contrast to graphene), possesses outstanding electronic properties and has been postulated for a plethora of applications. However, chemistry and physics of antimonene remain in their infancy, but fortunately recent discoveries have shed light on its unmatched allotropy and rich chemical reactivity offering a myriad of unprecedented possibilities in terms of fundamental studies and applications. Indeed, antimonene can be considered as one of the most appealing post-graphene 2D materials reported to date, since its structure, properties and applications can be chemically engineered from the ground up (both using top-down and bottom-up approaches), offering an unprecedented level of control in the realm of 2D materials. In this review, we provide an in-depth analysis of the recent advances in the synthesis, characterization and applications of antimonene. First, we start with a general introduction to antimonene, and then we focus on its general chemistry, physical properties, characterization and synthetic strategies. We then perform a comprehensive study on the allotropy, the phase transition mechanisms, the oxidation behaviour and chemical functionalization. From a technological point of view, we further discuss the applications recently reported for antimonene in the fields of optoelectronics, catalysis, energy storage, cancer therapy and sensing. Finally, important aspects such as new scalable methodologies or the promising perspectives in biomedicine are discussed, pinpointing antimonene as a cutting-edge material of broad interest for researchers working in chemistry, physics, materials science and biomedicine.

Ultra-Narrow Phosphorene Nanoribbons Produced by Facile Electrochemical Process

Phosphorene nanoribbons (PNRs) have inspired strong research interests to explore their exciting properties that are associated with the unique two-dimensional (2D) structure of phosphorene as well as the additional quantum confinement of the nanoribbon morphology, providing new materials strategy for electronic and optoelectronic applications. Despite several important properties of PNRs, the production of these structures with narrow widths is still a great challenge. Here, a facile and straightforward approach to synthesize PNRs via an electrochemical process that utilize the anisotropic Na+ diffusion barrier in black phosphorus (BP) along the [001] zigzag direction against the [100] armchair direction, is reported. The produced PNRs display widths of good uniformity (10.3 ± 3.8 nm) observed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and the suppressed B2g vibrational mode from Raman spectroscopy results. More interestingly, when used in field-effect transistors, synthesized bundles exhibit the n-type behavior, which is dramatically different from bulk BP flakes which are p-type. This work provides insights into a new synthesis approach of PNRs with confined widths, paving the way toward the development of phosphorene and other highly anisotropic nanoribbon materials for high-quality electronic applications.

Evaluating Electrolyte-Anode Interface Stability in Sodium All-Solid-State Batteries

All-solid-state batteries have recently gained considerable attention due to their potential improvements in safety, energy density, and cycle-life compared to conventional liquid electrolyte batteries. Sodium all-solid-state batteries also offer the potential to eliminate costly materials containing lithium, nickel, and cobalt, making them ideal for emerging grid energy storage applications. However, significant work is required to understand the persisting limitations and long-term cyclability of Na all-solid-state-based batteries. In this work, we demonstrate the importance of careful solid electrolyte selection for use against an alloy anode in Na all-solid-state batteries. Three emerging solid electrolyte material classes were chosen for this study: the chloride Na_2.25Y_0.25Zr_0.75Cl₆, sulfide Na₃PS₄, and borohydride Na₂(B₁₀H₁₀)_0.5(B₁₂H₁₂)_0.5. Focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) imaging, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were utilized to characterize the evolution of the anode-electrolyte interface upon electrochemical cycling. The obtained results revealed that the interface stability is determined by both the intrinsic electrochemical stability of the solid electrolyte and the passivating properties of the formed interfacial products. With appropriate material selection for stability at the respective anode and cathode interfaces, stable cycling performance can be achieved for Na all-solid-state batteries.

Polymorphic Phosphorus Applied to Alkali-Ion Battery Electrodes

The polymorphic phosphorus materials such as amorphous red and black ones have been used as the anodes for alkali-ion batteries. As the research field of 2D materials is pioneered, the fibrous red and violet phosphorus begin to be investigated and predicted for various devices. Meanwhile, they are not only applied to the active materials of electrodes but also the formation of protective layers for battery application. This article briefly introduces the primary allotropes of phosphorus, their research progress, and their potential for the application of alkali-ion batteries. Next, the recent studies concerning their applications of electrodes and protective layers for alkali-ion batteries are discussed in detail. Finally, the merits and drawbacks of preparation approaches, the strategies for improvement of battery performance, and the urgent challenges as well as possible solutions for future development of alkali-ion batteries using the electrodes or protective layers made from phosphorus materials, are summarized.

Enhanced voltammetric performance of sensors based on oxidized 2D layered black phosphorus

The exceptional properties of 2D layered black phosphorus (BP) make it a promising candidate for electrochemical sensing applications and, even though BP is considered unstable and tends to degrade by the presence of oxygen and moisture, its oxidation can be beneficial in some situations. In this work, we present an unequivocal demonstration that the exposition of BP-based working electrodes to normal ambient conditions can indeed be advantageous, leading to an enhancement of voltammetric sensing applications. This point was proved using a BP modified screen-printed carbon electrode (BP-SPCE) for the voltammetric determination of dopamine (DA) as a model target analyte. Oxidized BP-SPCE (up to 35% of P_xO_y at the surface) presented an enhanced analytical performance with a 5-fold and 2-fold increase in sensitivity, as compared to bare-SPCE and non-oxidized BP-SPCE stored in anhydrous atmosphere, respectively. Good detection limit, repeatability, reproducibility, stability, selectivity, and accuracy were also achieved. Overall, the results presented herein display the prominent possibilities of preparing and working with BP based-sensors in normal ambient settings and showcase their implementation under physiological conditions.

Electron Matters: Recent Advances in Passivation and Applications of Black Phosphorus

2D materials have experienced rapid and explosive development in the past decades. Among them, black phosphorus (BP) is one of the most promising materials on account of its thickness-dependent bandgap, high charge-carrier mobility, in-plane anisotropic structure, and excellent biocompatibility, as well as the broad applications brought by the properties. In view of the electron configuration, the most unique feature of BP is the lone-pair electrons on each P atom. The lone-pair electrons inevitably cause high reactivity of BP, particularly toward water/oxygen, which greatly limits the practical application of BP under ambient conditions. The other side of the coin is that BP can serve as an electron donor to promote the construction of BP-based hybrid materials and/or to boost the performance of BP or BP-based hybrid materials in applications. Here, recent advances in passivation and application of BP by addressing the interaction between the lone-pair electrons of BP and the other materials are discussed, and prospects for future research on BP are also proposed.

Carbon Nano-onions: Potassium Intercalation and Reductive Covalent Functionalization

Herein we report the synthesis of covalently functionalized carbon nano-onions (CNOs) via a reductive approach using unprecedented alkali-metal CNO intercalation compounds. For the first time, an in situ Raman study of the controlled intercalation process with potassium has been carried out revealing a Fano resonance in highly doped CNOs. The intercalation was further confirmed by electron energy loss spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Moreover, the experimental results have been rationalized with DFT calculations. Covalently functionalized CNO derivatives were synthesized by using phenyl iodide and n-hexyl iodide as electrophiles in model nucleophilic substitution reactions. The functionalized CNOs were exhaustively characterized by statistical Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, dynamic light scattering, UV-vis, and ATR-FTIR spectroscopies. This work provides important insights into the understanding of the basic principles of reductive CNOs functionalization and will pave the way for the use of CNOs in a wide range of potential applications, such as energy storage, photovoltaics, or molecular electronics.

Robust Solid Electrolyte Interphases in Localized High Concentration Electrolytes Boosting Black Phosphorus Anode for Potassium-Ion Batteries

Black phosphorus (BP) shows superior capacity toward K ion storage, yet it suffers from poor reversibility and fast capacity degradation. Herein, a BP-graphite (BP/G) composite with a high BP loading of 80 wt % is synthesized and stabilized via the utilization of a localized high concentration electrolyte (LHCE), i.e., potassium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide in trimethyl phosphate with a fluorinated ether as the diluent. We reveal the benefits of high concentration electrolytes rely on the formation of an inorganic component rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), which effectively passivates the electrode from copious parasite reactions. Furthermore, the diluent increases the electrolyte's ionic conductivity for achieving attractive rate capability and homogenizes the elemental distribution in the SEI. The latter essentially improves the SEI's maximum elastic deformation energy for accommodating the volume change, resulting in excellent cyclic performance. This work promotes the application of advanced potassium-ion batteries by adopting high-capacity BP anodes, on the one hand. On the other hand, it unravels the beneficial roles of LHCE in building robust SEIs for stabilizing alloy anodes.

Covalent and non-covalent chemistry of 2D black phosphorus

The post-graphene era is undoubtedly marked by two-dimensional (2D) sheet polymers, such as black phosphorus (BP). This emerging material has a fascinating structure and outstanding electronic properties and has been postulated for a plethora of applications. The need to circumvent the pronounced oxophilicity of P atoms has dominated the research on this material in recent years, with the objective of finding the most effective method to improve its environmental stability. When it comes to chemical functionalization, the few approaches reported so far involve some drawbacks such as low degree of addition and low production ability. This review presents the concepts and strategies of our studies on the chemical functionalization of BP, both non-covalent and covalent, emphazising the current synthetic challenges. Moreover, we also provide some effective pathways for the chemical activation of the unreactive basal plane, the identification of the effective binding strategies, and the concept to overcome hurdles associated with characterization tools. This work will provide fundamental insights into the controlled chemical functionalization and characterization of BP, fostering the research on this appealing 2D material.

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.

Interface Amorphization of Two-Dimensional Black Phosphorus upon Treatment with Diazonium Salts

Two-dimensional (2D) black phosphorus (BP) represents one of the most appealing 2D materials due to its electronic, optical, and chemical properties. Many strategies have been pursued to face its environmental instability, covalent functionalization being one of the most promising. However, the extremely low functionalization degrees and the limitations in proving the nature of the covalent functionalization still represent challenges in many of these sheet architectures reported to date. Here we shine light on the structural evolution of 2D-BP upon the addition of electrophilic diazonium salts. We demonstrated the absence of covalent functionalization in both the neutral and the reductive routes, observing in the latter case an unexpected interface conversion of BP to red phosphorus (RP), as characterized by Raman, 31 P-MAS NMR, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies (XPS). Furthermore, thermogravimetric analysis coupled to gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (TG-GC-MS), as well as electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) gave insights into the potential underlying radical mechanism, suggesting a Sandmeyer-like reaction.

Electrochemical Intercalation in Atomically Thin van der Waals Materials for Structural Phase Transition and Device Applications

In van der Waals (vdWs) materials and heterostructures, the interlayers are bonded by weak vdWs interactions due to the lack of dangling bonds. The vdWs gap at the homo- or heterointerface provides great freedom to enrich the tunability of electronic structures by external intercalation of foreign ions or atoms at the interface, leading to the discovery of new physics and functionalities. Herein, the recent progress on electrochemical intercalation of foreign species into atomically thin vdWs materials for structural phase transition and device applications is reviewed and future opportunities are discussed. First, several kinds of electrochemical intercalation platforms to achieve the intercalation in vdWs materials and heterostructures are introduced. Next, the in situ characterization of electrochemical intercalation dynamics by state-of-the-art techniques is summarized, including optical techniques, scanning probe techniques, and electrical transport. Moreover, particular attention is paid on the experimentally reported phase transition and multifunctional applications of intercalated devices. Finally, future applications and challenges of intercalation in vdWs materials and heterostructures are proposed, including the intrinsic intercalation mechanism of solid ion conductors, exact identification of intercalated foreign species by near-field optical techniques, and the tunability of intercalation kinetics for ultrafast switching.

Stabilization of Black Phosphorus by Sonication-Assisted Simultaneous Exfoliation and Functionalization

Black phosphorus (BP) has extraordinary properties, but its ambient instability remains a critical challenge. Functionalization has been employed to overcome the sensitivity of BP to ambient conditions while preserving its properties. Herein, a simultaneous exfoliation-functionalization process is reported that functionalizes BP flakes during exfoliation and thus provides increased protection, which can be attributed to minimal exposure of the flakes to ambient oxygen and water. A tetrabutylammonium salt was employed for intercalation of BP, resulting in the formation of flakes with large lateral dimensions. The addition of an aryl iodide or an aryl iodonium salt to the exfoliation solvent creates a scalable strategy for the production of functionalized few-layer BP flakes. The ambient stability of functionalized BP was prolonged to a period of one week, as revealed by STEM, AFM, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Quantifying the Covalent Functionalization of Black Phosphorus

A straightforward quantification method to consistently determine the overall functionalization degree of covalently modified two-dimensional (2D) black phosphorus (BP) by Raman spectroscopy has been carried out. Indeed, the successful reductive methylation of the BP lattice using sodium intercalation compounds and exhibiting different functionalization degrees has been demonstrated by 31 P-magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy. Furthermore, the correlation of 31 P-MAS NMR spectroscopy and statistical Raman spectroscopy (SRS) revealed the first method to determine the functionalization degree of BP solely by evaluating the intensities of distinct peaks in the Raman spectra of the covalently modified material, in a similar way to the widely employed ID /IG ratio of graphene research.

Prospects for Functionalizing Elemental 2D Pnictogens: A Study of Molecular Models

Despite the intense amount of attention and huge potential of 2D-layered pnictogens for applications in chemistry, physics, and materials science, there has yet to be a robust strategy developed to systematically functionalize them to tailor their properties. This is due to a number of factors, including practical instability toward ambient conditions, difficulty in characterizing modified materials, and also more inherent reactivity issues. Here, avenues for functionalization are discussed using examples of molecular models from the wider literature, along with their possible advantages and likely pitfalls. Finally, a critical appraisal of the current field and its future is offered.

Few-layer Black Phosphorous Catalyzes Radical Additions to Alkenes Faster than Low-valence Metals

The substitution of catalytic metals by p-block main elements has a tremendous impact not only in the fundamentals but also in the economic and ecological fingerprint of organic reactions. Here we show that few-layer black phosphorous (FL-BP), a recently discovered and now readily available 2D material, catalyzes different radical additions to alkenes with an initial turnover frequency (TOF0) up to two orders of magnitude higher than representative state-of-the-art metal complex catalysts at room temperature. The corresponding electron-rich BP intercalation compound (BPIC) KP6 shows a nearly twice TOF0 increase with respect to FL-BP. This increase in catalytic activity respect to the neutral counterpart also occurs in other 2D materials (graphene vs. KC8) and metal complex catalysts (Fe0 vs. Fe2- carbon monoxide complexes). This reactive parallelism opens the door for cross-fertilization between 2D materials and metal catalysts in organic synthesis.

Hydroxyl-Assisted Phosphorene Stabilization with Robust Device Performances

Phosphorene (few-layer black phosphorus) has been widely investigated for its unique optical and electronic properties. However, it is challenging to synthesize and process stable phosphorene as it degrades rapidly upon exposure to oxygen and moisture under ambient conditions, which has limited its use in practical applications. Herein, we propose an alkali-assisted stabilization process to produce high-quality phosphorene nanosheets. Our morphology measurements show that alkali-treated phosphorene remains stable for over 7 days in air. Electrical measurements on alkali-treated BP devices further proved its stable electrical property under ambient conditions. We further demonstrate superior light-assisted electrochemical water splitting performance using stable phosphorene. We attribute the stabilization effect to the chemical modification of the surface of phosphorene with P-OH bond formation. This study paves the avenue for the implementation of phosphorene devices in ambient conditions.

Black Phosphorus/Palladium Nanohybrid: Unraveling the Nature of P-Pd Interaction and Application in Selective Hydrogenation

The burgeoning interest in two-dimensional (2D) black phosphorus (bP) contributes to the expansion of its applications in numerous fields. In the present study, 2D bP is used as a support for homogeneously dispersed palladium nanoparticles directly grown on it by a wet chemical process. Electron energy loss spectroscopy-scanning transmission electron microscopy analysis evidences a strong interaction between palladium and P atoms of the bP nanosheets. A quantitative evaluation of this interaction comes from the X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements that show a very short Pd-P distance of 2.26 Å, proving for the first time the existence of an unprecedented Pd-P coordination bond of a covalent nature. Additionally, the average Pd-P coordination number of about 1.7 reveals that bP acts as a polydentate phosphine ligand toward the surface of the Pd atoms of the nanoparticles, thus preventing their agglomeration and inferring with structural stability. These unique properties result in a superior performance in the catalytic hydrogenation of chloronitroarenes to chloroanilines, where a higher chemoselectivity in comparison to other heterogeneous catalyst based on palladium has been observed.

Lattice Opening upon Bulk Reductive Covalent Functionalization of Black Phosphorus

The chemical bulk reductive covalent functionalization of thin-layer black phosphorus (BP) using BP intercalation compounds has been developed. Through effective reductive activation, covalent functionalization of the charged BP by reaction with organic alkyl halides is achieved. Functionalization was extensively demonstrated by means of several spectroscopic techniques and DFT calculations; the products showed higher functionalization degrees than those obtained by neutral routes.

Two-dimensional black phosphorus: its fabrication, functionalization and applications

Phosphorus, one of the most abundant elements in the Earth (∼0.1%), has attracted much attention in the last five years since the rediscovery of two-dimensional (2D) black phosphorus (BP) in 2014. The successful scaling down of BP endows this 'old material' with new vitality, resulting from the intriguing semiconducting properties in the atomic scale limit, i.e. layer-dependent bandgap that covers from the visible light to mid-infrared light spectrum as well as hole-dominated ambipolar transport characteristics. Intensive research effort has been devoted to the fabrication, characterization, functionalization and application of BP and other phosphorus allotropes. In this review article, we summarize the fundamental properties and fabrication techniques of BP, with particular emphasis on the recent progress in molecular beam epitaxy growth of 2D phosphorus. Subsequently, we highlight recent progress in BP (opto)electronic device applications achieved via customized manipulation methods, such as interface, defect and bandgap engineering as well as forming Lego-like stacked heterostructures.

Quantitative Tracking of the Oxidation of Black Phosphorus in the Few-Layer Regime

Previous theoretical reports have described the oxidation of few-layer black phosphorus and its effects on the electronic properties. Theoretically, native oxide layers bring opportunities for band gap engineering, but the detection of the different types of oxides is still a challenge at the experimental level. In this work, we uncover a correlation between thermal processes and Raman shift for the A_g ¹, B_2g, and A_g ² vibrational modes. The thermal expansion coefficients (temperature range, 290-485 K) for the A_g ¹, B_2g, and A_g ² were -0.015, -0.027, and -0.028 cm^-1 K^-1, respectively. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis shows an endothermic process centered at 528 K, and it was related with a mass increase according to thermogravimetric analysis. Raman shift temperature dependence was correlated to theoretical lattice thermal expansion, and a significant deviation was detected in the stacking direction at 500 K.

Simultaneous assembly of van der Waals heterostructures into multiple nanodevices

van der Waals heterostructures (vdWH) are made of different two-dimensional (2D) layers stacked on top of each other, forming a single material with unique properties that differ from those of the individual 2D constituent layers, and that can be modulated through the interlayer interaction. These hetero-materials can be artificially made by mechanical stamping, solution processing or epitaxial growth. Alternatively, franckeite has been recently described as an example of a naturally-occurring vdWH that can be exfoliated down to nanometer thicknesses. Research on vdWHs has so far been limited to manually exfoliated and stamped individual devices. Here, a scalable and fast method to fabricate vdWH nanodevices from liquid phase exfoliated nanoflakes is reported. The transport and positioning of the flakes into localized submicrometer structures is achieved simultaneously in multiple devices via a dielectrophoretic process. The complex vdWH is preserved after dielectrophoresis and the properties of the resulting field-effect transistors are equivalent to those fabricated via mechanical exfoliation and stamping. The combination of liquid phase exfoliation and dielectrophoretic assembly is particularly suited for the study of vdWHs and applications where large-scale fabrication is required.

Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of alkali–metal intercalated ZrSe2

We report on the synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of alkali metal intercalated ZrSe₂ single crystals.

Exploring the Formation of Black Phosphorus Intercalation Compounds with Alkali Metals

Black phosphorus intercalation compounds (BPICs) with alkali metals (namely: K and Na) have been synthesized in bulk by solid‐state as well as vapor‐phase reactions. By means of a combination of in situ X‐ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and DFT calculations the structural behavior of the BPICs at different intercalation stages has been demonstrated for the first time. Our results provide a glimpse into the very first steps of a new family of intercalation compounds, with a distinct behavior as compared to its graphite analogues (GICs), showing a remarkable structural complexity and a dynamic behavior.