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2D Materials

  • These are super-thin materials, only one atom thick — thinner than anything you can imagine. Example: graphene, MoS₂ (molybdenum disulfide), WS₂.
  • Structure: They are flat like a sheet of paper but at the atomic level, giving them special properties that normal (3D) materials don’t have.
  • Discovery: In 2004, scientists peeled off graphene from graphite (pencil lead) using tape — this earned them the 2010 Nobel Prize.
  • Types: Graphene (made of carbon), TMDCs (metal + sulfur/selenium), hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), and new materials called “Xenes” like silicene.

Working

  • Because they’re so thin, electrons can move almost freely → faster and cooler devices.
  • They’re held together strongly within a sheet but are weakly stacked, so we can easily separate them into thin layers.
  • Their energy properties (band gap) can be adjusted, making them great for chips and electronics.
  • Their thinness makes them extremely sensitive to the environment — perfect for sensors.
  • They also show quantum effects (like spin–valley coupling) that could power future quantum computers.

Characteristics

  • Super Conductors → Graphene carries electricity better than copper and also spreads heat quickly.
  • Super Strong → Around 200 times stronger than steel, yet bendable and stretchable by 20%.
  • Tunable Chips → Can be engineered for next-generation semiconductors beyond today’s silicon.
  • Quantum Ready → Can host quantum bits (qubits) for quantum computing.
  • Flexible & Transparent → Ideal for foldable phones, wearable gadgets, and see-through electronics.

Applications

  • Semiconductors – 2D transistors (MoS₂, WS₂) break silicon limits; extend Moore’s Law to the angstrom era.
  • Neuromorphic Computing – Atom-thin memristors mimic brain synapses; energy-efficient AI hardware.
  • Optoelectronics – Tunable band gaps enable ultra-thin photodetectors, LEDs, and solar cells.
  • Bulk Uses – Graphene composites for aerospace, water filtration membranes, coatings, batteries, and EV supercapacitors.

2D Graphene

  • 2D graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms in a hexagonal lattice.
  • Structure: One-atom-thick sheet of sp²-bonded carbon atoms.
  • Properties:
    • Extremely high electrical conductivity
    • Very high thermal conductivity
    • Exceptional mechanical strength (200× stronger than steel)
    • Nearly transparent
  • Applications:
    • Flexible electronics and sensors
    • Energy storage (supercapacitors, batteries)
    • Water purification membranes.
    • Biomedical devices (drug delivery, bio-imaging)

MoS₂ (Molybdenum Disulfide)

  • MoS₂ is a transition metal dichalcogenide.
  • Structure: One layer of molybdenum atoms between two layers of sulfur atoms.
  • Properties:
    • Semiconductor with a direct band gap (~1.8 eV in monolayer)
    • Good mechanical flexibility
    • High on/off ratio in transistors
  • Applications:
    • Field-effect transistors (FETs)
    • Photodetectors and LEDs
    • Catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)
    • Lubricants due to low friction at nanoscale


POSTED ON 10-09-2025 BY ADMIN
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