Issue 9, 2021

Monolayer nanosheets formed by liquid exfoliation of charge-assisted hydrogen-bonded frameworks

Abstract

Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) are a diverse and tunable class of materials, but their potential as free-standing two-dimensional nanomaterials has yet to be explored. Here we report the self-assembly of two layered hydrogen-bonded frameworks based on strong, charge-assisted hydrogen-bonding between carboxylate and amidinium groups. Ultrasound-assisted liquid exfoliation of both materials readily produces monolayer hydrogen-bonded organic nanosheets (HONs) with micron-sized lateral dimensions. The HONs show remarkable stability and maintain their extended crystallinity and monolayer structures even after being suspended in water at 80 °C for three days. These systems also exhibit efficient fluorescence quenching of an organic dye in organic solvents, superior to the quenching ability of the bulk frameworks. We anticipate that this approach will provide a route towards a diverse new family of molecular two-dimensional materials.

Graphical abstract: Monolayer nanosheets formed by liquid exfoliation of charge-assisted hydrogen-bonded frameworks

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
18 déc. 2020
Accepted
12 janv. 2021
First published
14 janv. 2021
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2021,12, 3322-3327

Monolayer nanosheets formed by liquid exfoliation of charge-assisted hydrogen-bonded frameworks

J. Nicks, S. A. Boer, N. G. White and J. A. Foster, Chem. Sci., 2021, 12, 3322 DOI: 10.1039/D0SC06906J

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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