Abstract
Achieving a molecular level understanding of chemical reactions on the surface of solid-state nanomaterials is important, but challenging. For example, the fully saturated basal plane is believed to be practically inert and its surface chemistry has been poorly explored, while two-dimensional (2D) layered transition-metal chalcogenides (TMCs) display unique reactivities due to their unusual anisotropic nature, where the edges consisting of unsaturated metals and chalcogens are sites for key chemical reactions. Herein, we report the use of Lewis acids/bases to elucidate the chemical reactivity of the basal plane in 2D layered TMCs. Electrophilic addition by Lewis acids (i.e., AlCl 3 ) selectively onto sulfides in the basal plane followed by transmetalation and subsequent etching affords nanopores where such chemical activations are initiated and propagated from the localized positions of the basal plane. This new method of surface modification is generally applicable not only to various chemical compositions of TMCs, but also in crystal geometries such as 1T and 2H. Nanoporous NbS 2 obtained by this method was found to have an enhanced electrochemical energy storage capacity, offering this chemical strategy to obtain functional 2D layered nanostructures.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 13663-13671 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journal of the American Chemical Society |
Volume | 140 |
Issue number | 42 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2018 Oct 24 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was supported by the Institute for Basic Science (IBS-R026-D1), (IBS-R10-D1) and S. J. Yoo for TEM analyses [KBSI-HVEM (JEM-ARM1300S)] in Korea.
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2018 American Chemical Society.
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Catalysis
- Chemistry(all)
- Biochemistry
- Colloid and Surface Chemistry