2D Materials and Van der Waals Heterostructures: Physics and Applications

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2019) | Viewed by 79542

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Department of Physics “E.R. Caianiello”, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
Interests: optical and electrical properties of nanostructured materials such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, and 2D materials; van der Waals heterostructures and Schottky junctions; field-effect transistors; non-volatile memories; solar cells; photodetectors; field emission devices
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Dear Colleagues,

The advent of graphene, and more recently of layered 2D materials, has opened new perspectives in electronics, optoelectronics, energy harvesting and sensing applications. Layered 2D materials can be fabricated with relatively inexpensive production methods, integrated into existing semiconductor technologies, and offer new physical, chemical and mechanical properties. Electrically they can behave as metals, semiconductors, insulators or even superconductors. Consisting of covalently bonded and dangling-bond free lattices, they can form heterojunctions with each other or with bulk materials, without the need of a close lattice matching. In these heterojunctions, the participant materials are held together by weak van der Waals forces, which do not introduce significant changes at the atomic scale and essentially maintain the original electronic structure of the materials. Hence, van der Waals heterojunctions offer the opportunity to combine layers with different properties as the building blocks to engineer new functional materials for high-performance device or sensor applications. A great advantage is that the easy stacking of a variety of 2D materials allows a far greater number of combinations than any traditional growth method.

A great deal of work has been done thus far on the synthesis and characterization of layered 2D materials, such as graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides, hexagonal boron nitride, black phosphorus, silicene, organic perovskites, etc. Many of them have been used to fabricate stacked 2D-2D heterostructures, 2D/3D heterojunctions with common bulk semiconductors, such as Si, GaA, SiC or even 0D-2D and 1D-2D hybrids. The underlying physics and the possible applications in photodetection, biochemical sensing, strain gauges, photovoltaic energy generation or energy harvesting has been attracting the attention of both theorists and experimentalists.

The purpose of the present Special Issue is to collect state-of-the-art work on layered 2D materials and, in particular, on their van der Waals heterojunctions, both from a fundamental and application perspective. Review articles or research papers dealing with the fabrication and the properties of 2D materials and of their van der Waals heterojunctions, or with their use in electronic devices and sensors, are solicited and welcomed.

Prof. Antonio Di Bartolomeo
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • 2D Materials: graphene, transition metal dichalcogenide, black phosphorus, silicene, germanene, hexagonal boron nitride
  • Van der Waals heterojunctions
  • Schottky and PN junctions
  • Van der Waals photodiodes and phototransistors
  • Field effect transistors
  • Van der Waals tunneling devices and vertical transistors
  • Memory devices
  • Bio-chemical sensors
  • Photovoltaic solar cells
  • Energy harvesting devices and supercapacitors
  • Ohmic and Schottky contacts

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Published Papers (13 papers)

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Editorial

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10 pages, 247 KiB  
Editorial
Emerging 2D Materials and Their Van Der Waals Heterostructures
by Antonio Di Bartolomeo
Nanomaterials 2020, 10(3), 579; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10030579 - 22 Mar 2020
Cited by 99 | Viewed by 6685
Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D) materials and their van der Waals heterojunctions offer the opportunity to combine layers with different properties as the building blocks to engineer new functional materials for high-performance devices, sensors, and water-splitting photocatalysts. A tremendous amount of work has been done thus [...] Read more.
Two-dimensional (2D) materials and their van der Waals heterojunctions offer the opportunity to combine layers with different properties as the building blocks to engineer new functional materials for high-performance devices, sensors, and water-splitting photocatalysts. A tremendous amount of work has been done thus far to isolate or synthesize new 2D materials as well as to form new heterostructures and investigate their chemical and physical properties. This article collection covers state-of-the-art experimental, numerical, and theoretical research on 2D materials and on their van der Waals heterojunctions for applications in electronics, optoelectronics, and energy generation. Full article

Research

Jump to: Editorial

10 pages, 2884 KiB  
Article
Graphene Schottky Junction on Pillar Patterned Silicon Substrate
by Giuseppe Luongo, Alessandro Grillo, Filippo Giubileo, Laura Iemmo, Mindaugas Lukosius, Carlos Alvarado Chavarin, Christian Wenger and Antonio Di Bartolomeo
Nanomaterials 2019, 9(5), 659; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9050659 - 26 Apr 2019
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4023
Abstract
A graphene/silicon junction with rectifying behaviour and remarkable photo-response was fabricated by transferring a graphene monolayer on a pillar-patterned Si substrate. The device forms a 0.11 eV Schottky barrier with 2.6 ideality factor at room temperature and exhibits strongly bias- and temperature-dependent reverse [...] Read more.
A graphene/silicon junction with rectifying behaviour and remarkable photo-response was fabricated by transferring a graphene monolayer on a pillar-patterned Si substrate. The device forms a 0.11 eV Schottky barrier with 2.6 ideality factor at room temperature and exhibits strongly bias- and temperature-dependent reverse current. Below room temperature, the reverse current grows exponentially with the applied voltage because the pillar-enhanced electric field lowers the Schottky barrier. Conversely, at higher temperatures, the charge carrier thermal generation is dominant and the reverse current becomes weakly bias-dependent. A quasi-saturated reverse current is similarly observed at room temperature when the charge carriers are photogenerated under light exposure. The device shows photovoltaic effect with 0.7% power conversion efficiency and achieves 88 A/W photoresponsivity when used as photodetector. Full article
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17 pages, 4252 KiB  
Article
Designing a Novel Monolayer β-CSe for High Performance Photovoltaic Device: An Isoelectronic Counterpart of Blue Phosphorene
by Qiang Zhang, Yajuan Feng, Xuanyu Chen, Weiwei Zhang, Lu Wu and Yuexia Wang
Nanomaterials 2019, 9(4), 598; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9040598 - 11 Apr 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3754
Abstract
Using the first-principles method, an unmanufactured structure of blue-phosphorus-like monolayer CSe (β-CSe) was predicted to be stable. Slightly anisotropic mechanical characteristics in β-CSe sheet were discovered: it can endure an ultimate stress of 5.6 N/m at 0.1 along an armchair [...] Read more.
Using the first-principles method, an unmanufactured structure of blue-phosphorus-like monolayer CSe (β-CSe) was predicted to be stable. Slightly anisotropic mechanical characteristics in β-CSe sheet were discovered: it can endure an ultimate stress of 5.6 N/m at 0.1 along an armchair direction, and 5.9 N/m at 0.14 along a zigzag direction. A strain-sensitive transport direction was found in β-CSe, since β-CSe, as an isoelectronic counterpart of blue phosphorene (β-P), also possesses a wide indirect bandgap that is sensitive to the in-plane strain, and its carrier effective mass is strain-dependent. Its indirect bandgap character is robust, except that armchair-dominant strain can drive the indirect-direct transition. We designed a heterojunction by the β-CSe sheet covering α-CSe sheet. The band alignment of the α-CSe/β-CSe interface is a type-II van der Waals p-n heterojunction. An appreciable built-in electric field across the interface, which is caused by the charges transfering from β-CSe slab to α-CSe, renders energy bands bending, and it makes photo-generated carriers spatially well-separated. Accordingly, as a metal-free photocatalyst, α-CSe/β-CSe heterojunction was endued an enhanced solar-driven redox ability for photocatalytic water splitting via lessening the electron-hole-pair recombination. This study provides a fundamental insight regarding the designing of the novel structural phase for high-performance light-emitting devices, and it bodes well for application in photocatalysis. Full article
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12 pages, 3434 KiB  
Article
Facile and Controllable Synthesis of Large-Area Monolayer WS2 Flakes Based on WO3 Precursor Drop-Casted Substrates by Chemical Vapor Deposition
by Biao Shi, Daming Zhou, Shaoxi Fang, Khouloud Djebbi, Shuanglong Feng, Hongquan Zhao, Chaker Tlili and Deqiang Wang
Nanomaterials 2019, 9(4), 578; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9040578 - 9 Apr 2019
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 5279
Abstract
Monolayer WS2 (Tungsten Disulfide) with a direct-energy gap and excellent photoluminescence quantum yield at room temperature shows potential applications in optoelectronics. However, controllable synthesis of large-area monolayer WS2 is still challenging because of the difficulty in controlling the interrelated growth parameters. [...] Read more.
Monolayer WS2 (Tungsten Disulfide) with a direct-energy gap and excellent photoluminescence quantum yield at room temperature shows potential applications in optoelectronics. However, controllable synthesis of large-area monolayer WS2 is still challenging because of the difficulty in controlling the interrelated growth parameters. Herein, we report a facile and controllable method for synthesis of large-area monolayer WS2 flakes by direct sulfurization of powdered WO3 (Tungsten Trioxide) drop-casted on SiO2/Si substrates in a one-end sealed quartz tube. The samples were thoroughly characterized by an optical microscope, atomic force microscope, transmission electron microscope, fluorescence microscope, photoluminescence spectrometer, and Raman spectrometer. The obtained results indicate that large triangular monolayer WS2 flakes with an edge length up to 250 to 370 μm and homogeneous crystallinity were readily synthesized within 5 min of growth. We demonstrate that the as-grown monolayer WS2 flakes show distinctly size-dependent fluorescence emission, which is mainly attributed to the heterogeneous release of intrinsic tensile strain after growth. Full article
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0 pages, 4802 KiB  
Article
Strain-Tunable Visible-Light-Responsive Photocatalytic Properties of Two-Dimensional CdS/g-C3N4: A Hybrid Density Functional Study
by Guangzhao Wang, Feng Zhou, Binfang Yuan, Shuyuan Xiao, Anlong Kuang, Mingmin Zhong, Suihu Dang, Xiaojiang Long and Wanli Zhang
Nanomaterials 2019, 9(2), 244; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9020244 - 12 Feb 2019
Cited by 48 | Viewed by 4100
Abstract
By means of a hybrid density functional, we comprehensively investigate the energetic, electronic, optical properties, and band edge alignments of two-dimensional (2D) CdS/g-C 3 N 4 heterostructures by considering the effect of biaxial strain and pH value, so as to improve the photocatalytic [...] Read more.
By means of a hybrid density functional, we comprehensively investigate the energetic, electronic, optical properties, and band edge alignments of two-dimensional (2D) CdS/g-C 3 N 4 heterostructures by considering the effect of biaxial strain and pH value, so as to improve the photocatalytic activity. The results reveal that a CdS monolayer weakly contacts with g-C 3 N 4 , forming a type II van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure. The narrow bandgap makes CdS/g-C 3 N 4 suitable for absorbing visible light and the induced built-in electric field between the interface promotes the effective separation of photogenerated carriers. Through applying the biaxial strain, the interface adhesion energy, bandgap, and band edge positions, in contrast with water, redox levels of CdS/g-C 3 N 4 can be obviously adjusted. Especially, the pH of electrolyte also significantly influences the photocatalytic performance of CdS/g-C 3 N 4 . When pH is smaller than 6.5, the band edge alignments of CdS/g-C 3 N 4 are thermodynamically beneficial for oxygen and hydrogen generation. Our findings offer a theoretical basis to develop g-C 3 N 4 -based water-splitting photocatalysts. Full article
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11 pages, 1079 KiB  
Article
High Sensitivity Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor Based on Two-Dimensional MXene and Transition Metal Dichalcogenide: A Theoretical Study
by Yi Xu, Yee Sin Ang, Lin Wu and Lay Kee Ang
Nanomaterials 2019, 9(2), 165; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9020165 - 29 Jan 2019
Cited by 155 | Viewed by 8263
Abstract
MXene, a new class of two-dimensional nanomaterials, have drawn increasing attention as emerging materials for sensing applications. However, MXene-based surface plasmon resonance sensors remain largely unexplored. In this work, we theoretically show that the sensitivity of the surface plasmon resonance sensor can be [...] Read more.
MXene, a new class of two-dimensional nanomaterials, have drawn increasing attention as emerging materials for sensing applications. However, MXene-based surface plasmon resonance sensors remain largely unexplored. In this work, we theoretically show that the sensitivity of the surface plasmon resonance sensor can be significantly enhanced by combining two-dimensional Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene and transition metal dichalcogenides. A high sensitivity of 198 /RIU (refractive index unit) with a sensitivity enhancement of 41.43% was achieved in aqueous solutions (refractive index ∼1.33) with the employment of monolayer Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene and five layers of WS 2 at a 633 nm excitation wavelength. The integration of Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene with a conventional surface plasmon resonance sensor provides a promising approach for bio- and chemical sensing, thus opening up new opportunities for highly sensitive surface plasmon resonance sensors using two-dimensional nanomaterials. Full article
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13 pages, 3820 KiB  
Article
Two Dimensional β-InSe with Layer-Dependent Properties: Band Alignment, Work Function and Optical Properties
by David K. Sang, Huide Wang, Meng Qiu, Rui Cao, Zhinan Guo, Jinlai Zhao, Yu Li, Quanlan Xiao, Dianyuan Fan and Han Zhang
Nanomaterials 2019, 9(1), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9010082 - 9 Jan 2019
Cited by 48 | Viewed by 10857
Abstract
Density functional theory calculations of the layer (L)-dependent electronic band structure, work function and optical properties of β-InSe have been reported. Owing to the quantum size effects (QSEs) in β-InSe, the band structures exhibit direct-to-indirect transitions from bulk β-InSe to few-layer β-InSe. The [...] Read more.
Density functional theory calculations of the layer (L)-dependent electronic band structure, work function and optical properties of β-InSe have been reported. Owing to the quantum size effects (QSEs) in β-InSe, the band structures exhibit direct-to-indirect transitions from bulk β-InSe to few-layer β-InSe. The work functions decrease monotonically from 5.22 eV (1 L) to 5.0 eV (6 L) and then remain constant at 4.99 eV for 7 L and 8 L and drop down to 4.77 eV (bulk β-InSe). For optical properties, the imaginary part of the dielectric function has a strong dependence on the thickness variation. Layer control in two-dimensional layered materials provides an effective strategy to modulate the layer-dependent properties which have potential applications in the next-generation high performance electronic and optoelectronic devices. Full article
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10 pages, 1431 KiB  
Article
Optical Properties of Graphene/MoS2 Heterostructure: First Principles Calculations
by Bin Qiu, Xiuwen Zhao, Guichao Hu, Weiwei Yue, Junfeng Ren and Xiaobo Yuan
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(11), 962; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8110962 - 21 Nov 2018
Cited by 68 | Viewed by 8537
Abstract
The electronic structure and the optical properties of Graphene/MoS2 heterostructure (GM) are studied based on density functional theory. Compared with single-layer graphene, the bandgap will be opened; however, the bandgap will be reduced significantly when compared with single-layer MoS2. Redshifts [...] Read more.
The electronic structure and the optical properties of Graphene/MoS2 heterostructure (GM) are studied based on density functional theory. Compared with single-layer graphene, the bandgap will be opened; however, the bandgap will be reduced significantly when compared with single-layer MoS2. Redshifts of the absorption coefficient, refractive index, and the reflectance appear in the GM system; however, blueshift is found for the energy loss spectrum. Electronic structure and optical properties of single-layer graphene and MoS2 are changed after they are combined to form the heterostructure, which broadens the extensive developments of two-dimensional materials. Full article
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13 pages, 4838 KiB  
Article
Environmental Effects on the Electrical Characteristics of Back-Gated WSe2 Field-Effect Transistors
by Francesca Urban, Nadia Martucciello, Lisanne Peters, Niall McEvoy and Antonio Di Bartolomeo
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(11), 901; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8110901 - 3 Nov 2018
Cited by 59 | Viewed by 6303
Abstract
We study the effect of polymer coating, pressure, temperature, and light on the electrical characteristics of monolayer WSe 2 back-gated transistors with Ni / Au contacts. Our investigation shows that the removal of a layer of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or a decrease of [...] Read more.
We study the effect of polymer coating, pressure, temperature, and light on the electrical characteristics of monolayer WSe 2 back-gated transistors with Ni / Au contacts. Our investigation shows that the removal of a layer of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or a decrease of the pressure change the device conductivity from p- to n-type. From the temperature behavior of the transistor transfer characteristics, a gate-tunable Schottky barrier at the contacts is demonstrated and a barrier height of ~ 70 meV in the flat-band condition is measured. We also report and discuss a temperature-driven change in the mobility and the subthreshold swing that is used to estimate the trap density at the WSe 2 / SiO 2 interface. Finally, from studying the spectral photoresponse of the WSe 2 , it is proven that the device can be used as a photodetector with a responsivity of ~ 0.5 AW 1 at 700 nm and 0.37 mW / cm 2 optical power. Full article
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12 pages, 2936 KiB  
Article
Physical Properties and Photovoltaic Application of Semiconducting Pd2Se3 Monolayer
by Xiaoyin Li, Shunhong Zhang, Yaguang Guo, Fancy Qian Wang and Qian Wang
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(10), 832; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8100832 - 14 Oct 2018
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5324
Abstract
Palladium selenides have attracted considerable attention because of their intriguing properties and wide applications. Motivated by the successful synthesis of Pd2Se3 monolayer (Lin et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2017, 119, 016101), here we systematically study its physical properties and device [...] Read more.
Palladium selenides have attracted considerable attention because of their intriguing properties and wide applications. Motivated by the successful synthesis of Pd2Se3 monolayer (Lin et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2017, 119, 016101), here we systematically study its physical properties and device applications using state-of-the-art first principles calculations. We demonstrate that the Pd2Se3 monolayer has a desirable quasi-direct band gap (1.39 eV) for light absorption, a high electron mobility (140.4 cm2V−1s−1) and strong optical absorption (~105 cm−1) in the visible solar spectrum, showing a great potential for absorber material in ultrathin photovoltaic devices. Furthermore, its bandgap can be tuned by applying biaxial strain, changing from indirect to direct. Equally important, replacing Se with S results in a stable Pd2S3 monolayer that can form a type-II heterostructure with the Pd2Se3 monolayer by vertically stacking them together. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the heterostructure-based solar cell reaches 20%, higher than that of MoS2/MoSe2 solar cell. Our study would motivate experimental efforts in achieving Pd2Se3 monolayer-based heterostructures for new efficient photovoltaic devices. Full article
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8 pages, 2749 KiB  
Article
Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Stone–Wales Defected Graphene Decorated with the Half-Metallocene of M (M = Fe, Co, Ni): A First Principle Study
by Kefeng Xie, Qiangqiang Jia, Xiangtai Zhang, Li Fu and Guohu Zhao
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(7), 552; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8070552 - 20 Jul 2018
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4598
Abstract
The geometrical, electronic structure, and magnetic properties of the half-metallocene of M (M = Fe, Co, Ni) adsorbed on Stone–Wales defected graphene (SWG) were studied using the density functional theory (DFT), aiming to tune the band structure of SWG. The introduction of [...] Read more.
The geometrical, electronic structure, and magnetic properties of the half-metallocene of M (M = Fe, Co, Ni) adsorbed on Stone–Wales defected graphene (SWG) were studied using the density functional theory (DFT), aiming to tune the band structure of SWG. The introduction of cyclopentadienyl (Cp) and half-metallocene strongly affected the band structure of SWG. The magnetic properties of the complex systems originated from the 3D orbitals of M (M = Fe, Co, Ni), the molecular orbital of Cp, and SWG. This phenomenon was different from that found in a previous study, which was due to metal ion-induced sandwich complexes. The results have potential applications in the design of electronic devices based on SWG. Full article
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17 pages, 6599 KiB  
Article
Visible Light Driven Photoanodes for Water Oxidation Based on Novel r-GO/β-Cu2V2O7/TiO2 Nanorods Composites
by Shuang Shuang, Leonardo Girardi, Gian Andrea Rizzi, Andrea Sartorel, Carla Marega, Zhengjun Zhang and Gaetano Granozzi
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(7), 544; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8070544 - 18 Jul 2018
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 5471
Abstract
This paper describes the preparation and the photoelectrochemical performances of visible light driven photoanodes based on novel r-GO/β-Cu2V2O7/TiO2 nanorods/composites. β-Cu2V2O7 was deposited on both fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) and TiO [...] Read more.
This paper describes the preparation and the photoelectrochemical performances of visible light driven photoanodes based on novel r-GO/β-Cu2V2O7/TiO2 nanorods/composites. β-Cu2V2O7 was deposited on both fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) and TiO2 nanorods (NRs)/FTO by a fast and convenient Aerosol Assisted Spray Pyrolysis (AASP) procedure. Ethylenediamine (EN), ammonia and citric acid (CA) were tested as ligands for Cu2+ ions in the aerosol precursors solution. The best-performing deposits, in terms of photocurrent density, were obtained when NH3 was used as ligand. When β-Cu2V2O7 was deposited on the TiO2 NRs a good improvement in the durability of the photoanode was obtained, compared with pure β-Cu2V2O7 on FTO. A further remarkable improvement in durability and photocurrent density was obtained upon addition, by electrophoretic deposition, of reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) flakes on the β-Cu2V2O7/TiO2 composite material. The samples were characterized by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Raman, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Wide Angle X-ray Diffraction (WAXD) and UV-Vis spectroscopies. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) performances of β-Cu2V2O7 on FTO, β-Cu2V2O7/TiO2 and r-GO/β-Cu2V2O7/TiO2 were tested in visible light by linear voltammetry and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. Full article
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9 pages, 6611 KiB  
Article
Hybrid Density Functional Study on the Photocatalytic Properties of Two-dimensional g-ZnO Based Heterostructures
by Guangzhao Wang, Dengfeng Li, Qilong Sun, Suihu Dang, Mingmin Zhong, Shuyuan Xiao and Guoshuai Liu
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(6), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8060374 - 28 May 2018
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3900
Abstract
In this work, graphene-like ZnO (g-ZnO)-based two-dimensional (2D) heterostructures (ZnO/WS2 and ZnO/WSe2) were designed as water-splitting photocatalysts based on the hybrid density functional. The dependence of photocatalytic properties on the rotation angles and biaxial strains were investigated. The bandgaps of [...] Read more.
In this work, graphene-like ZnO (g-ZnO)-based two-dimensional (2D) heterostructures (ZnO/WS2 and ZnO/WSe2) were designed as water-splitting photocatalysts based on the hybrid density functional. The dependence of photocatalytic properties on the rotation angles and biaxial strains were investigated. The bandgaps of ZnO/WS2 and ZnO/WSe2 are not obviously affected by rotation angles but by strains. The ZnO/WS2 heterostructures with appropriate rotation angles and strains are promising visible water-splitting photocatalysts due to their appropriate bandgap for visible absorption, proper band edge alignment, and effective separation of carriers, while the water oxygen process of the ZnO/WSe2 heterostructures is limited by their band edge positions. The findings pave the way to efficient g-ZnO-based 2D visible water-splitting materials. Full article
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