Site-selective functionalization of solution-processed transition metal dichalcogenides for vertical and lateral covalent networks and heterostructures

Abstract

Covalent chemistry provides a robust route to functionalize transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), endowing them with new properties and enabling control over their interfaces. This minireview surveys covalent functionalization strategies for TMDs, emphasising site-selectivity and preferential binding to the basal plane or at the edge. It also discusses how these reactions enable the formation of covalently interconnected vertical heterostructures and lateral percolated homo- and heteronetworks, which can be assembled directly from TMD inks. We highlight emerging examples of such covalent 2D-2D architectures and outline challenges and opportunities in scalable covalent homo- and heterostructures fabrication featuring solution-processed TMDs.