A facile surfactant-assisted bottom-up synthetic method to prepare a series of freestanding ultrathin 2D M-TCPP (M = Zn, Cu, Cd or Co, TCPP = tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin) nanosheets with a thickness of sub-10 nm is developed. As a proof-of-concept application, some of them are successfully used as new platforms for DNA detection. The Cu-TCPP nanosheet-based sensor shows excellent fluorescent sensing performance and is used for the simultaneous detection of multiple DNA targets.

As one unique group of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, 2D metal nanomaterials have drawn increasing attention owing to their intriguing physiochemical properties and broad range of promising applications. In this Review, we briefly introduce the general synthetic strategies applied to 2D metal nanomaterials, followed by describing in detail the various synthetic methods classified in two categories, i.e. bottom-up methods and top-down methods. After introducing the unique physical and chemical properties of 2D metal nanomaterials, the potential applications of 2D metal nanomaterials in catalysis, surface enhanced Raman scattering, sensing, bioimaging, solar cells, and photothermal therapy are discussed in detail. Finally, the challenges and opportunities in this promising research area are proposed.

The ability to prepare ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) covalent organic framework (COF) nanosheets (NSs) in high yield is of great importance for the further exploration of their unique properties and potential applications. Herein, by elaborately designing and choosing two flexible molecules with C molecular symmetry as building units, a novel imine-linked COF, namely, TPA-COF, with a hexagonal layered structure and sheet-like morphology, is synthesized. Since the flexible building units are integrated into the COF skeletons, the interlayer stacking becomes weak, resulting in the easy exfoliation of TPA-COF into ultrathin 2D NSs. Impressively, for the first time, the detailed structural information, i.e., the pore channels and individual building units in the NSs, is clearly visualized by using the recently developed low-dose imaging technique of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As a proof-of-concept application, the obtained ultrathin COF NSs are used as a novel fluorescence sensing platform for the highly sensitive and selective detection of DNA.

Two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets are attracting increasing research interest. Here, for the first time, we report the facile synthesis of 2D porphyrin paddlewheel framework-3 (PPF-3) MOF nanosheets with thickness of ca. 12-43 nm. Through the simultaneous sulfidation and carbonization of PPF-3 MOF nanosheets, we have prepared the 2D nanocomposite of CoS1.097 nanoparticles (NPs) and nitrogen-doped carbon, referred to as CoSNC, in which the CoS1.097 NPs with size of ca. 10 nm are embedded in the nitrogen-doped carbon matrix. As a proof-of-concept application, the obtained 2D CoSNC nanocomposite is used as an electrode material for a supercapacitor, which exhibits a specific capacitance of 360.1 F g(-1) at a current density of 1.5 A g(-1). Moreover, the composite electrode also shows high rate capability. Its specific capacitance delivered at a current density of 30.0 A g(-1) retains 56.8% of the value at 1.5 A g(-1).

No abstract

Inspired by the multiple functions of natural multienzyme systems, a new kind of hybrid nanosheet is designed and synthesized, i.e., ultrasmall Au nanoparticles (NPs) grown on 2D metalloporphyrinic metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets. Since 2D metalloporphyrinic MOF nanosheets can act as the peroxidase mimics and Au NPs can serve as artificial glucose oxidase, the hybrid nanosheets are used to mimic the natural enzymes and catalyze the cascade reactions. Furthermore, the synthesized hybrid nanosheets are used to detect biomolecules, such as glucose. This study paves a new avenue to design nanomaterial-based biomimetic catalysts with multiple complex functions.

Five-fold-twinned PtCu nanoframes (NFs) with nanothorns protruding from their edges are synthesized by a facile one-pot method. Compared to commercial Pt/C catalyst, the obtained highly anisotropic five-fold-twinned PtCu NFs show enhanced electrocatalytic performance toward the oxygen reduction reaction and methanol oxidation reaction under alkaline conditions.

The exploration of new porous hybrid materials is of great importance because of their unique properties and promising applications in separation of materials, catalysis, etc. Herein, for the first time, by integration of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs), a new type of MOF@COF core-shell hybrid material, i.e., NH -MIL-68@TPA-COF, with high crystallinity and hierarchical pore structure, is synthesized. As a proof-of-concept application, the obtained NH -MIL-68@TPA-COF hybrid material is used as an effective visible-light-driven photocatalyst for the degradation of rhodamine B. The synthetic strategy in this study opens up a new avenue for the construction of other MOF-COF hybrid materials, which could have various promising applications.