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Two-dimensional materials

Crystallized creations in 2D

Nature Chemistry volume 6, pages 757–759 (2014)Cite this article

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Two reports demonstrate that with the right molecules and the right crystalline arrangement, it is not only possible to create two-dimensional crystals, but also to separate them into single-molecule-thick sheets — so-called two-dimensional polymers.

The discovery of graphene and its remarkable properties has rejuvenated interest in developing bespoke two-dimensional materials — that is, atomically thin materials with periodicity in the other two spatial directions. Creating two-dimensional molecular arrays with specific physical and chemical properties is an alluring goal, and such structures have potential in a variety of applications. For example, consider a molecular-scale membrane comprising highly organized components with specific properties — be they optical, magnetic or electronic — and the ability to recognize specific target molecules through the incorporation of tailored recognition sites. Sounds like a chemist's dream!

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Figure 1: Two-dimensional polymer crystal structures obtained by single-crystal X-ray diffraction1,2.

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  1. Neil Champness is in the School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK,

    Neil R. Champness

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  1. Neil R. Champness
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Correspondence to Neil R. Champness.

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Champness, N. Crystallized creations in 2D. Nature Chem 6, 757–759 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2015

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