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Wonder material: individual 2D phosphorene nanoribbons made for the first time

1 May 2019

Wonder material: individual 2D phosphorene nanoribbons made for the first time

In a study published in Nature, phosphorene nanoribbons have been produced for the first time by a team at UCL (Physics & Astronomy, LCN and Chemical Engineering), the University of Bristol, Virginia Commonwealth University and Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, as part of a long term collaboration on two-dimensional materials.

Using a liquid based exfoliation process the team were able to produce liquids filled with ribbons of this pure phosphorous material, with a typical ribbon having a height of one atomic layer, widths of 4-50 nm and lengths of up to 75 µm.

Co-author, Dr Patrick Cullen (UCL Chemical Engineering) had this to say about the study:

Finding ways to move nanomaterials from fundamental discovery into use in applications is one of the biggest challenges of modern science. Deposition from the liquid phase, by painting, printing or spraying, is one of the most promising ways forward. This method for producing nanoribbons is so special because we can make large quantities of the nanomaterial and the delivery mechanism is already built into the production process - the nanoribbons are stable in liquid, like an ink.

The team will now go on to explore the how these new materials can revolutionise technologies including batteries, solar cells, thermoelectrics, photocatalysis, nanoelectronics and in quantum computing.

Co-author, Dr Thomas Miller (UCL Chemical Engineering) had this to say about the study:

“This form of phosphorous can uptake lithium ions at an extraordinarily fast rate, potentially up to 1000 times that of graphite. If we can utilise this property in next-generation lithium-ion batteries we could unlock super-fast charging rates. This could have enormous implications for the future, including vehicle electrification.

The work was kindly funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Royal Academy of Engineering.

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