Synthesis, modification, and application of black phosphorus, few-layer black phosphorus (FLBP), and phosphorene: a detailed review

Abstract

In the last few years, new two-dimensional (2-D) materials have garnered the scientific community's attention with the growing demand for functionalized materials for advanced electrical and biomedical applications. Among all the developed 2-D materials, black phosphorus and FLBP (few-layer black phosphorus), i.e., phosphorene, has been in tremendous demand due to its unique electrical, optical, physical, and electrochemical properties. Its tunable bandgap enables the fabrication of sensing materials that could be utilized in various fields such as health care, batteries, transistors, photovoltaics (PV) and many more probable applications. However, properties like high conductivity, carrier mobility, tensile strength, and bio-safety make phosphorene an essential candidate for electrical and bio-medical applications. The present review highlights phosphorene's unique properties, potential applications, and prospects as an emerging 2-D single elemental material. A particular focus has been laid on the most recent studies on the synthetic approaches and modifications of phosphorene, mainly aimed at its functionalization and stabilization for prospective applications in different fields.