Facile synthesis of ultrathin lepidocrocite nanosheets from layered precursors.
Ultrathin two-dimensional nanosheets have been widely studied because of their peculiar properties and promising applications. As a typical layered material, successful exfoliation of freestanding ultrathin lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) nanosheets from the bulk material has not been reported to date. Herein, we report a facile synthetic route to prepare ultrathin lepidocrocite nanosheets with a thickness of approximately 2-3 nm from FeOx -propanediol layered precursors through weakening of the hydrogen bonds during the crystallization process. The ultrathin morphology and single-crystal structure of the nanosheets were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. The formation process of these nanosheets demonstrated simultaneous exfoliation and crystallization of lepidocrocite in basic aqueous solution. The obtained ultrathin nanosheets exhibited a much lower Néel temperature (18.3 K) than bulk lepidocrocite and weak ferromagnetic behavior below this temperature.
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190 (P. R. China), Fax: (+86) 10-82616517; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 (P. R. China).
Yijun
Y
Yang
Yeteng
Y
Zhong
Xi
X
Wang
Ying
Y
Ma
Jiannian
J
Yao
Néel temperature; exfoliation; layered compounds; nanostructures; ultrathin nanosheets