A rational design of cosolvent exfoliation of layered materials by directly probing liquid–solid interaction

Udayabagya Halim, Chu Ran Zheng, Yu Chen, Zhaoyang Lin, Shan Jiang, Rui Cheng, Yu Huang and Xiangfeng Duan ()
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Udayabagya Halim: University of California
Chu Ran Zheng: University of California
Yu Chen: University of California
Zhaoyang Lin: University of California
Shan Jiang: University of California
Rui Cheng: University of California
Yu Huang: University of California
Xiangfeng Duan: University of California

Nature Communications, 2013, vol. 4, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Exfoliation of layered materials such as graphite and transition metal dichalcogenides into mono- or few-layers is of significant interest for both the fundamental studies and potential applications. Here we report a systematic investigation of the fundamental factors governing the liquid exfoliation process and the rational design of a cosolvent approach for the exfoliation of layered materials. We show that Young’s equation can be used to predict the optimal cosolvent concentration for the effective exfoliation of graphite and molybdenum disulphide in water mixtures with methanol, ethanol, isopropanol and t-butyl alcohol. Moreover, we find that the cosolvent molecular size has an important role in the exfoliation yield, attributed to the larger steric repulsion provided by the larger cosolvent molecules. Our study provides critical insight into the exfoliation of layered materials, and defines a rational strategy for the design of an environmentally friendly pathway to the high yield exfoliation of layered materials.

Date: 2013
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:4:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms3213

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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3213

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