Lasing characteristics of randomly assembled ZnS nanosheets are studied at room temperature. Under 266-nm optical excitation, sharp lasing peaks emitted at around 332 nm with a linewidth less than 0.4 nm are observed in all directions. In addition, the dependence of lasing threshold intensity with the excitation area is shown in good agreement with the random laser theory. Hence, it is verified...

Nacre-mimetic materials are of great interest, but difficult to synthesize, because they require the ordering of organic and inorganic materials on several length scales. Here we introduce peptoid nanosheets as a versatile two-dimensional platform to develop nacre mimetic materials. Free-floating zwitterionic nanosheets were mineralized with thin films of amorphous calcium carbonate (of 2-20 nm...

Restacked niobate nanosheets were prepared by exfoliation of the corresponding Dion–Jacobson type layered perovskites (HCa2Nb3O10, HSr2Nb3O10 and HLaNb2O7) with tetra(n-butyl)ammonium hydroxide and subsequent treatment with hydrochloric acid. The nanosheets were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. W...

Transition metal oxide nanomaterials are promising electrodes for alkali-ion batteries owing to their distinct reaction mechanism, abundant active sites and shortened ion diffusion distance. However, detailed conversion reaction processes in terms of the oxidation state evolution and chemical/mechanical stability of the electrodes are still poorly understood. Herein we explore a general synthet...

Composites incorporating two-dimensional nanostructures within polymeric matrices have potential as functional components for several technologies, including gas separation. Prospectively, employing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as versatile nanofillers would notably broaden the scope of functionalities. However, synthesizing MOFs in the form of freestanding nanosheets has proved challenging....

Films and nanosheets of layered chalcogenides are currently under intense investigation owing to their application in thin film electronic, optoelectronic, and sensor devices. Here, aqueous solution processing of the environmentally benign thiostannate, (NH4)4Sn2S6·3H2O, and its subsequent thermal decomposition to form continuous highly textured SnS2 thin films are presented. We show how to con...

Efficient evolution of hydrogen through electrocatalysis at low overpotentials holds tremendous promise for clean energy. Hydrogen evolution can be easily achieved by electrolysis at large potentials that can be lowered with expensive platinum-based catalysts. Replacement of Pt with inexpensive, earth-abundant electrocatalysts would be significantly beneficial for clean and efficient hydrogen e...

CuO nanosheets, Cr-doped CuO nanosheets, and Cr-doped CuO nanorods were prepared by heating a slurry containing Cu-hydroxide/Cr-hydroxide. Their responses to 100 ppm NO(2), C(2)H(5)OH, NH(3), trimethylamine, C(3)H(8), and CO were measured. For 2.2 at% Cr-doped CuO nanorods, the response (R(a)/R(g), R(a): resistance in air, R(g): resistance in gas) to 100 ppm NO(2) was 134.2 at 250 °C, which was...

Ultrathin cobalt phosphate (CoHPO4 · 3H2O) nanosheets are successfully synthesized by a one pot hydrothermal method. Novel CoHPO4 · 3H2O ultrathin nanosheets are assembled for constructing the electrodes of supercapacitors. Benefiting from the nanostructures, the as-prepared electrode shows a specific capacitance of 413 F g(-1), and no obvious decay even after 3000 charge-discharge cycles. Such...

Novel α-alumina crystalline nanosheets are used for the preparation of alumina-carbon composites, in which the latter component is phenolic resin-based ordered mesoporous carbon. A unique feature of these composites is perpendicular orientation of ordered mesopores of the carbon to the (001) facets of nonporous α-alumina nanosheets accompanied by significant enlargement of these mesopores in co...