Controlled Formation of Nanoribbons and Their Heterostructures via Assembly of Mass‐Selected Inorganic Ions

Abstract

Control of nanomaterial dimensions with atomic precision through synthetic methods is essential to understanding and engineering of nanomaterials. For single‐layer inorganic materials, size and shape controls have been achieved by self‐assembly and surface‐catalyzed reactions of building blocks deposited at a surface. However, the scope of nanostructures accessible by such approach is restricted by the limited choice of building blocks that can be thermally evaporated onto surfaces, such as atoms or thermostable molecules. Herein this limitation is bypassed by using mass‐selected molecular ions obtained via electrospray ionization as building blocks to synthesize nanostructures that are inaccessible by conventional evaporation methods. As the first example, micron‐scale production of MoS2 and WS2 nanoribbons and their heterostructures on graphene are shown by the self‐assembly of asymmetrically shaped building blocks obtained from the electrospray. It is expected that judicious use of electrospray‐generated building blocks would unlock access to previously inaccessible inorganic nanostructures.

Modern Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Techniques for the Characterization of Supramolecules and Coordination Compounds

“…The combination of soft ionization sources (mainly ESI), high-resolution mass analyzers, and commercially available MS 2 and IM additions has enhanced our understanding of coordination compounds and supramolecules. MS is an active field of analytical research, and while the discussion here is limited to techniques that are established and commercially available, other methods such as ion spectroscopy ,, or ion soft-landing including microscopic imaging , yield further, unique structural information. In my view, all of these techniques will gain in importance for supramolecules and coordination compounds in the future.…”

Modern Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Techniques for the Characterisation of Supramolecules and Coordination Compounds

“…The combination of soft ionisation sources (mainly ESI), high-resolution mass analysers and commercially available MS 2 and IM additions has enhanced our understanding of coordination compounds and supramolecules. MS is an active field of analytical research, and while the discussion here is limited to techniques that are established and commercially available, other methods such as ion spectroscopy 11,12,91 or ion soft-landing including microscopic imaging 92,93 yield further, unique structural information. In my view, all these techniques will gain in importance for supramolecules and coordination compounds in the future.…”

Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry for Large Synthetic Molecules: Expanding the Analytical Toolbox

“…This led to the formation of the product [B 24 I 23 ] 3– , showing that highly charged clusters can be formed directly from gaseous building blocks. To date, the ions per time deposition numbers achieved are too low for this workflow to be an actual alternative for synthetic methods in solution; however, the road ahead has promise . An important milestone would be the coupling with IM, enabling a better synthetic control by depositing both m / z - and conformationally selected ions …”