Two-dimensional nanomaterials: A critical review of recent progress, properties, applications, and future directions

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2022.107362Get rights and content

Highlights

  • The 2D nanomaterials are atomically thin sheets of materials.

  • The lateral size of the 2D nanomaterials can reach up to micrometers and even longer.

  • Each set of 2D materials has a distinctive set of features that makes them valuable for a range of applications.

  • Significant research on the synthetic routes is required to produce high-quality 2D materials for large scale.

Abstract

Two-dimensional nanomaterials (2D nanomaterials) are a sophisticated advanced class of atomically thick nanomaterials that consist of a single to few layers of atoms. The lateral size of the 2D nanomaterials can reach up to micrometers, and even longer can be produced by improving synthesis methods. The 2D nanomaterials have unique features of high anisotropy, effective surface area, mechanical strength, plasmonic, electron confinement, and optical properties. According to the class, the 2D nanomaterials can be tuned to superconductors, semiconductors to insulators. 2D nanomaterials are extensively explored for membranes, energy production/storage, tissue engineering, sensing, and catalytic applications. In this review, we concisely discussed the synthesis, key characteristics, and striking properties of 2D nanomaterials. Finally, review concludes with a future perspective and conclusive remarks. Indeed, ultrathin 2D nanomaterials have become critical players in every field of material science. In the near future, these materials will be revolutionary in the energy and environmental sectors.

Section snippets

Introduction:

The properties of the materials have changed substantially as the size of the material approaches the nanoscale. The utilization of materials and structures with dimensions in the range of 1 to 100 nm is called nanotechnology [1]. When the term nanomaterial is used, the term size appears in mind, but nanotechnology is not only about size; it is also about structures and manipulation of the structures at the atomic and molecular level to develop such structures which are more applicable to the

Brief discussion of synthesis methods

The 2D nanomaterials are synthesized using top-down and bottom-up approaches [40]. Briefly, these methods are discussed here, and details of the synthesis method of the one, two, and three-dimensional nanomaterials can be found in the previously published review [29]. The various top-down and bottom-up approaches are summarized in Fig. 3.

Prominent properties of the 2D nanomaterials

Ultrathin materials carry out a range of unique properties, making them excellent materials among other nanomaterials. The 2D nanomaterials, due to their large diameter-length ratio, display exceptional properties which are significantly unique compared to their bulky counterpart [93]. Some properties can be generalized; however, it does not mean that each property should be present in all ultrathin 2D nanomaterials. For instance, graphene has exhibited exceptionally high electrical

Graphene family

The graphene family is one of the highly rated and extensively explored 2D nanomaterials with many unique, fascinating features. It is not an overrated statement if it is said that graphene and its derivatives revolutionize the materials’ chemistry. Graphene isolation in 2004 [32] triggered the finding of other 2D nanomaterials. Currently, graphene has become part of almost all applications of materials science, including bone tissue regeneration [167], separation [168], generation of

Conclusion and future directions

This review concisely and critically discusses the recent development in ultrathin 2D nanomaterials. The ultrathin 2D nanomaterials are synthesized using the top-down and bottom-up approaches. The exploration of new synthesis techniques is continued to achieve high-quality 2D sheets of nanomaterials. 2D nanomaterials have unique, striking properties such as high surface area, excellent interfacial interaction, distinctive optical properties, and exceptionally high mechanical strength. The

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Nadeem Baig: Conceptualization, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Funding acquisition.

Declaration of Competing Interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to acknowledge the support provided by the KFUPM, Interdisciplinary Research Center for Membranes & water security

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