I-Molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) inamandla njengento ebalulekile enezinhlangothi ezimbili (2-D), kodwa ukukhiqizwa kwayo okuyinqwaba kusalele ngemuva kokwabanye ekilasini layo. Manje, abacwaningi kwa-A*STAR benze indlela elula yokukhiqiza ngobuningi ama-nanosheet e-MoO3 ekhwalithi ephezulu.

Ngemva kokutholwa kwe-graphene, ezinye izinto ze-2-D ezifana ne-transition metal di-chalcogenides, zaqala ukuheha ukunaka okukhulu. Ikakhulukazi, i-MoO3 yavela njengento ebalulekile ye-2-D semiconducting ngenxa yezakhiwo zayo ezimangalisayo ze-elekthronikhi nezamehlo ezinesithembiso sohlu lwezinhlelo zokusebenza ezintsha ku-electronics, optoelectronics kanye ne-electrochromics.

U-Liu Hongfei kanye nozakwabo abavela ku-A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering kanye ne-Institute of High Performance Computing bafuna ukuthuthukisa indlela elula yokukhiqiza ngobuningi ama-nanosheet amakhulu, ekhwalithi ephezulu e-MoO3 aguquguqukayo futhi asobala.

“Ama-nanosheet azacile nge-athomu e-molybdenum trioxide anezakhiwo ezintsha ezingasetshenziswa ezinhlobonhlobo zezinhlelo ze-elekthronikhi,” kusho uLiu. Kodwa ukuze kukhiqizwe ama-nanosheet ekhwalithi enhle, ikristalu yomzali kufanele ibe msulwa kakhulu.”

Ngokuqala ngokusebenzisa inqubo ebizwa ngokuthi ukuthuthwa komhwamuko oshisayo, abacwaningi bahwamulisa i-MoO3 powder esithandweni somlilo ku-1,000 degrees Celsius. Khona-ke, ngokunciphisa inani lezindawo ze-nucleation, zingafanisa kangcono i-thermodynamic crystallization ye-MoO3 ukukhiqiza amakristalu ekhwalithi ephezulu ku-600 degrees Celsius ngaphandle kwesidingo se-substrate ethile.

"Ngokujwayelekile, ukukhula kwekristalu emazingeni okushisa aphakeme kuthinteka yi-substrate," kuchaza uLiu. "Kodwa-ke, uma ingekho i-substrate ehlosiwe singalawula kangcono ukukhula kwekristalu, okusivumela ukuthi sikhule amakristalu e-molybdenum trioxide ahlanzekile nekhwalithi ephezulu."

Ngemuva kokupholisa amakristalu ekushiseni kwegumbi, abacwaningi basebenzise i-exfoliation eyimishini kanye ne-aqueous ukukhiqiza amabhande angama-submicron amakristalu e-MoO3. Uma sebefake amabhande ku-sonication kanye ne-centrifugation, bakwazi ukukhiqiza ama-nanosheet amakhulu, aphezulu e-MoO3.

Umsebenzi unikeze imininingwane emisha ekusebenzisaneni kwe-electronic interlayer kwama-nanosheets e-2-D MoO3. Ukukhula kwekristalu nezindlela zokucwenga ezakhiwe ithimba nazo zingaba usizo ekulawuleni igebe lebhendi—ngakho-ke izici ze-optoelectronic—zezinto ezingu-2-D ngokwenza ama-heterojunctions angu-2-D.

"Manje sizama ukwenza ama-nanosheet e-2-D MoO3 anezindawo ezinkulu, kanye nokuhlola ukusetshenziswa kwawo okungenzeka kwamanye amadivaysi, njengezinzwa zegesi," kusho uLiu.