Mass Production of Large‐Sized, Nonlayered 2D Nanosheets: Their Directed Synthesis by a Rapid “Gel‐Blowing” Strategy, and Applications in Li/Na Storage and Catalysis

Abstract

2D nanomaterials are well suited for energy conversion and storage because of their thickness-dependent physical and chemical properties. However, current synthetic methods for translating 2D materials from the laboratory to industry cannot integrate both advantages of liquid-phase method (i.e., solution processibility, homogeneity, and massive production), and gas-phase method (i.e., high quality and large lateral size). Here, inspired by Chinese Sugar Figure Blowing Art, a rapid "gel-blowing" strategy is proposed for the mass production of 2D nonlayered nanosheets by thermally expanding the viscous gel precursors within a short time (≈1 min). A wide variety of 2D nanosheets including oxides, carbon, oxides/carbon and metal/carbon composites are synthesized on a large scale and with no impurities. Importantly, this method unifies the merits of both liquid-phase and gas-phase syntheses, giving rise to 2D products with high uniformity, nanometer thickness, and large lateral sizes (up to hundreds of micrometers) simultaneously. The success of this strategy highly relies on the speed of "blowing" and control of the amount of reactants. The as-synthesized nanosheet electrodes manifest excellent electrochemical performance for alkali-ion batteries and electrocatalysis. This method opens up a new avenue for economical and massive preparation of good-quality nonlayered 2D nanosheets for energy-related applications and beyond.

High‐Energy Density Li‐Ion Capacitor with Layered SnS2/Reduced Graphene Oxide Anode and BCN Nanosheet Cathode

“…As shown in Figure S9 (Supporting Information), the CV profiles of SnS 2 /RGO electrode have similar shapes when the scan rates were increased from 0.2 to 10 mV s −1 . The capacitive contribution could be qualitatively analyzed in accordance with the following equations: i = αν b , where i refers to the peak current, α and b are constants, and ν denotes the sweep rate . The b value of 0.5 represents a diffusion‐controlled process, whereas the b value of 1.0 indicates a surface capacitive‐dominated process .…”

2D Crystal–Based Fibers: Status and Challenges

“…These metal oxides adsorb onto the interfaces of gas bubbles to form 2D crystal of metal oxide. 2D crystals of metal oxide prepared by this method can be as thin as 3–5 nm . This method is simple, low cost, universal, efficient, and can scale up for industrial production.…”

Rational Design of Holey 2D Nonlayered Transition Metal Carbide/Nitride Heterostructure Nanosheets for Highly Efficient Water Oxidation

“…For example, several researches have been focusing on opening up efficient routes to obtain 2D nonlayered simple and mixed transition metal oxides, [11][12][13] selenides, [14] chalcogenides, [15,16] organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites, [17,18] and metal/NC. [20] Unfortunately, these strategies are not applicable in preparation of 2D nonlayered carbides and/or nitrides, although several transition metal carbide/nitride nanocrystals and their heterostructures have been demonstrated to be a superior class of catalysts for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER/OER). [20] Unfortunately, these strategies are not applicable in preparation of 2D nonlayered carbides and/or nitrides, although several transition metal carbide/nitride nanocrystals and their heterostructures have been demonstrated to be a superior class of catalysts for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER/OER).…”