A liquid metal reaction environment for the room-temperature synthesis of atomically thin metal oxides

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) oxides have a wide variety of applications in electronics and other technologies. However, many oxides are not easy to synthesize as 2D materials through conventional methods. We used nontoxic eutectic gallium-based alloys as a reaction solvent and co-alloyed desired metals into the melt. On the basis of thermodynamic considerations, we predicted the composition of the self-limiting interfacial oxide. We isolated the surface oxide as a 2D layer, either on substrates or in suspension. This enabled us to produce extremely thin subnanometer layers of HfO, AlO, and GdO The liquid metal-based reaction route can be used to create 2D materials that were previously inaccessible with preexisting methods. The work introduces room-temperature liquid metals as a reaction environment for the synthesis of oxide nanomaterials with low dimensionality.

Adjustable Intermolecular Interactions Allowing 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenides with Prolonged Scavenging Activity for Reactive Oxygen Species

“…As‐prepared 460‐TMDs were able to effectively scavenge ROS in human cells and showed great biocompatibility. This approach based on the modulation of hydrophobic interactions can be extended to the exfoliation of various 2D nanomaterials, including metal oxides . The ROS scavenging capabilities of biocompatible 460‐TMDs will enable their application in ROS detection, cancer therapy, and cosmetics.…”

2D Crystal–Based Fibers: Status and Challenges

“…To address, they put liquid metal droplets in containers immersed in water, then air is injected into the liquid metal to produce bubbles. A thin layer of metal oxides generated at the interface between bubbles and liquid metal, subsequently bubbles carry metal oxides up and pass through the water layer to form 2D crystals of metal oxides . Inspired by Chinese sugar figure blowing art, Wang et al also developed a similar method for preparing 2D nonlayered crystals by bubble interfaces.…”

Recent progress on liquid metals and their applications

“…alloys as reaction media to produce oxide nanomaterials, including HfO 2 , Al 2 O 3 and Gd 2 O 3 [78]. As Ga and its alloys can form a self-limiting oxide skin in the metal-air interface [20,79,80], the oxide layer can be seen as a naturally formed 2D material.…”

“…In this approach, liquid metal offers an environment during the reaction. This method should be suitable to fabricate oxides of many metals, and some of the oxides are significant because they have electronic, catalytic and other performance capabilities [78].…”