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Title: In situ TEM visualization of superior nanomechanical flexibility of shear-exfoliated phosphorene

Journal Article · · Nanoscale
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c6nr02487d · OSTI ID:1338605
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7]
  1. Southeast Univ., Nanjing (China). SEU-FEI Nano-Pico Center; Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Dept.
  2. China Univ. of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou (China). Research Center for Internet of Things
  3. Southeast Univ., Nanjing (China). SEU-FEI Nano-Pico Center
  4. Southeast Univ., Nanjing (China). School of Electronic Science and Engineering
  5. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China). Beijing National Lab. for Condensed Matter Physics
  6. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Dept.
  7. Southeast Univ., Nanjing (China). SEU-FEI Nano-Pico Center; Monash Univ., Suzhou (China). Joint Research Inst. of Southeast Univ. and Center for Advanced Materials and Manufacture

Recently discovered atomically thin black phosphorus (called phosphorene) holds great promise for applications in flexible nanoelectronic devices. Experimentally identifying and characterizing nanomechanical properties of phosphorene are challenging, but also potentially rewarding. Our work combines for the first time in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging and an in situ micro-manipulation system to directly visualize the nanomechanical behaviour of individual phosphorene nanoflakes. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the phosphorene nanoflakes can be easily bent, scrolled, and stretched, showing remarkable mechanical flexibility rather than fracturing. An out-of-plane plate-like bending mechanism and in-plane tensile strain of up to 34% were observed. Moreover, a facile liquid-phase shear exfoliation route has been developed to produce such mono-layer and few-layer phosphorene nanoflakes in organic solvents using only a household kitchen blender. The effects of surface tensions of the applied solvents on the ratio of average length and thickness (L/T) of the nanoflakes were studied systematically. These results reported here will pave the way for potential industrial-scale applications of flexible phosphorene nanoelectronic devices.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-98CH10886
OSTI ID:
1338605
Report Number(s):
BNL--113302--2016-JA; KC0201010
Journal Information:
Nanoscale, Journal Name: Nanoscale Journal Issue: 28 Vol. 8; ISSN NANOHL; ISSN 2040-3364
Publisher:
Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (5)

Promise and Challenge of Phosphorus in Science, Technology, and Application journal September 2018
In situ visualization of the superior nanomechanical flexibility of individual hydroxyapatite nanobelts journal January 2018
Highly ambient-stable few-layer black phosphorene by pulsed laser exfoliation and HEMM journal January 2019
Applications of Phosphorene and Black Phosphorus in Energy Conversion and Storage Devices journal December 2017
Modulation of photothermal anisotropy using black phosphorus/rhenium diselenide heterostructures journal January 2018