As a highly stable band gap semiconductor, antimonene is an intriguing two-dimensional (2D) material in optoelectronics. However, its short layer distance and strong binding energy make it challenging to prepare high-quality large 2D antimonene; therefore, its predicted tunable band gap has not been experimentally confirmed. Now, an approach to prepare smooth and large 2D antimonene with uniform layers that uses a pregrinding and subsequent sonication-assisted liquid-phase exfoliation process has been established. Mortar pregrinding provides a shear force along the layer surfaces, forming large, thin antimony plates, which can then easily be exfoliated into smooth, large antimonene, avoiding long sonication times and antimonene destruction. The resulting antimonene also enabled verification of the tunable band gap from 0.8 eV to 1.44 eV. Hole extraction and current enhancement by about 30 % occurred when the antimonene was used as a hole transport layer in perovskite solar cells.

The two-dimensional material antimonene was first reported in 2015. Subsequently, its unique properties, including enhanced stability, high carrier mobility, and band-gap tunability, were predicted theoretically. These theoretical results have motivated experimental confirmation and thus a better understanding of this new material. Recently, the preparation of antimonene and its attempted use in several applications have attracted extensive attention. This Minireview focuses on both the experimental preparation and practical applications of antimonene, including the results of recent research on novel methods of preparing antimonene and its potential applications in optoelectronic devices, electrocatalysis, energy storage, and cancer therapy. Moreover, it provides insight that could further improve the preparation of antimonene and also describes numerous opportunities for application.

As ah ighly stable band gap semiconductor, antimonene is an intriguing two-dimensional (2D) material in optoelectronics.However,its short layer distance and strong binding energy make it challenging to prepare high-quality large 2D antimonene;therefore,its predicted tunable band gap has not been experimentally confirmed. Now,a na pproach to prepare smooth and large 2D antimonene with uniform layers that uses ap regrinding and subsequent sonication-assisted liquid-phase exfoliation process has been established. Mortar pregrinding provides as hear force along the layer surfaces, forming large,t hin antimony plates,w hichc an then easily be exfoliated into smooth, large antimonene,a voiding long sonication times and antimonene destruction. The resulting antimonene also enabled verification of the tunable band gap from 0.8 eV to 1.44 eV.H ole extraction and current enhancement by about 30 %occurred when the antimonene was used as ahole transport layer in perovskite solar cells.During the past few decades,two-dimensional (2D) materials composed of individual layers held together by van der Waals forces in lieu of covalent or ionic bonds have drawn extensive attention and been widely studied because of their unique electronic, optical, and chemical properties. [1] Among them, graphene has enabled tremendous achievements in electrics,b iological engineering,a nd the environmental and energy fields.H owever,g raphene,a sasemimetal with zero gap,exhibits drawbacks in semiconductor logic switching and light-emitting devices. [2] Consequently,t he discovery and research of "post-graphene" 2D materials have become popular topics.B lack phosphorus (BP), as ap ost-graphene 2D material, has been intensively investigated since early 2014, because of its layered structure with ad irect band gap near 0.3 eV in bulk form and near 2eVf or as ingle layer, giving rise to unique functionality that can bridge the gap between graphene and transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) nanosheets. [3] To date,B Ph as been utilized for applications including transistors,o ptoelectronics,s ensors, biomedical therapy,a nd energy conversion, such as the O 2 evolution reaction, water splitting photocatalysts,s olar cells, and Li-ion batteries,b ecause of its thickness-tunable band gap,b iocompatibility,a nd excellent photothermal properties. [4] Unfortunately,B Pis extremely sensitive to its surroundings and can be strongly degraded, especially by exposure to water and O 2 ,w hich limits its wider application. [4b, 5] Considering the band gap and stability,Sb, as aGroup 15 element, is ap otential alternative and exhibits properties similar to those of BP.F urthermore,a ntimonene,anew staring 2D material that has recently gained popularity,h as been theoretically predicted to exhibit remarkable electronic and optical properties with enhanced stability and at unable direct band gap covering awide range from 0eVto2.28 eV. [6] However,i tr emains difficult to confirm this tunability through experimental research. Furthermore,t he practical application o...

Two‐dimensional (2D) semiconducting boron nanosheets (few‐layer borophene) have been theoretically predicted, but their band gap tunability has not been experimentally confirmed. In this study, hydroxy‐functionalized borophene (borophene‐OH) with tunable band gap was fabricated by liquid‐phase exfoliation using 2‐butanol solvent. Surface‐energy matching between boron and 2‐butanol produced smooth borophene, and the exposed unsaturated B sites generated by B−B bond breaking during exfoliation coordinated with OH groups to form semiconducting borophene‐OH, enabling a tunable band gap of 0.65–2.10 eV by varying its thickness. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) measurements demonstrated that the use of borophene‐OH to fabricate working electrodes for PEC‐type photodetectors significantly enhanced the photocurrent density (5.0 μA cm−2) and photoresponsivity (58.5 μA W−1) compared with other 2D monoelemental materials. Thus, borophene‐OH is a promising semiconductor with great optoelectronic potential.

A novel near-infrared luminogen (TPE/TPY-Pt-PA/PEG) based on the terpyridyl Pt(ii) complex with a tetraphenylethene periphery is synthesised and characterised. It displays aggregation-induced emission with the formation of self-assembled nanostructures. The nanoparticles fabricated with TPE/TPY-Pt-PA/PEG show excellent biocompatibility with high specificity to lysosomes in HeLa cells.

Two‐dimensional (2D) semiconducting boron nanosheets (few‐layer borophene) have been theoretically predicted, but their band gap tunability has not been experimentally confirmed. In this study, hydroxy‐functionalized borophene (borophene‐OH) with tunable band gap was fabricated by liquid‐phase exfoliation using 2‐butanol solvent. Surface‐energy matching between boron and 2‐butanol produced smooth borophene, and the exposed unsaturated B sites generated by B−B bond breaking during exfoliation coordinated with OH groups to form semiconducting borophene‐OH, enabling a tunable band gap of 0.65–2.10 eV by varying its thickness. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) measurements demonstrated that the use of borophene‐OH to fabricate working electrodes for PEC‐type photodetectors significantly enhanced the photocurrent density (5.0 μA cm−2) and photoresponsivity (58.5 μA W−1) compared with other 2D monoelemental materials. Thus, borophene‐OH is a promising semiconductor with great optoelectronic potential.

Rapid charge recombination has limited the application of black phosphorus (BP) as a visible light‐responsive photocatalyst. Violet phosphorus (VP), another 2D phosphorus allotrope, has drawn extensive attention for its excellent semiconductor property. However, its photocatalytic activity for hydrogen (H2) evolution is yet to be studied. Herein, a VP/BP heterostructure using a phase engineering strategy is constructed, wherein few‐layered VP is interlaced with BP to create a well‐matched heterophase interface by virtue of their identical chemical compositions and different crystal phases. Experimental and theoretical calculations reveal that VP and BP exhibit strong interaction at the heterophase interface, which is found effective in accelerating photogenerated electron transfer from BP to VP for improved charge separation efficiency. After being decorated with a Rh cocatalyst, the VP/BP heterostructure with utilization of visible light up to 700 nm shows ≈3‐ and 210‐times greater photocatalytic H2 evolution activity with respect to its counterparts. This study highlights feasibility of phase engineering and provides an alternative strategy in promoting charge separation as well as performance of photocatalyst.

No abstract