Supramolecular networks stabilise and functionalise black phosphorus

Korolkov, Vladimir V.; Timokhin, Ivan G.; Haubrichs, Rolf; Smith, Emily F.; Yang, Lixu; Yang, Sihai; Champness, Neil R.; Schr�der, Martin; Beton, Peter H.

Abstract

© 2017 The Author(s). The limited stability of the surface of black phosphorus (BP) under atmospheric conditions is a significant constraint on the exploitation of this layered material and its few layer analogue, phosphorene, as an optoelectronic material. Here we show that supramolecular networks stabilised by hydrogen bonding can be formed on BP, and that these monolayer-thick films can passivate the BP surface and inhibit oxidation under ambient conditions. The supramolecular layers are formed by solution deposition and we use atomic force microscopy to obtain images of the BP surface and hexagonal supramolecular networks of trimesic acid and melamine cyanurate (CA.M) under ambient conditions. The CA.M network is aligned with rows of phosphorus atoms and forms large domains which passivate the BP surface for more than a month, and also provides a stable supramolecular platform for the sequential deposition of 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)benzene to form supramolecular heterostructures.

Citation

Korolkov, V. V., Timokhin, I. G., Haubrichs, R., Smith, E. F., Yang, L., Yang, S., …Beton, P. H. (2017). Supramolecular networks stabilise and functionalise black phosphorus. Nature Communications, 8(1), Article 1385. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01797-6

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 16, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Nov 9, 2017
• Publication Date: Nov 9, 2017
• Deposit Date: Nov 14, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 14, 2017
• Journal: Nature Communications
• Electronic ISSN: 2041-1723
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: 1385
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01797-6
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/893860
• Publisher URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-01797-6