SFB 1238 | May 16, 16:00
Exploring Novel 2D Materials: New Frontiers in Energy Storage and Magnetism
The intercalation of atomic and molecular species into layered materials has emerged as an effective strategy for producing novel two-dimensional (2D) materials with tunable electronic, magnetic, and energy storage properties. Recent in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies have revealed the presence of dense lithium multilayers confined between graphene sheets, as well as the intercalation of double layers of alkali metals (K, Rb, Cs) within bilayer graphene. [1,2] Here, we investigated the intercalation of alkali metals (AMs) into bilayer graphene using first-principles calculations. We explored the energetics and structural configurations of single-layer and multilayer AM intercalates, as well as the influence of atomic-scale defects and impurities on their stability and formation. [3,4]
Beyond AM intercalation, we demonstrated the formation of confined 2D metal chloride phases with distinct stoichiometries inside bilayer graphene. [5-7] High-resolution TEM imaging revealed the emergence of various polymorphs of aluminum chloride, iron chloride, and molybdenum chloride, along with phase transformations induced by electron beam exposure. Our electronic structure calculations indicate that these 2D intercalated systems exhibit diverse electronic properties, ranging from insulating to semimetallic behavior depending on their composition and phase, while also serving as a promising platform for studying magnetism in reduced-dimensional environments. [8]
We also studied the structural and electronic properties of high-quality Janus monolayers synthesized on a gold substrate. In particular, we characterized the effect of the substrate on the electronic structure of Janus monolayer and spin-orbit splitting of the valence band by using our experimental and theoretical techniques. [9]
References
[1] M. Kühne, F. Börrnert, S. Fecher, M. Ghorbani-Asl, et al., Nature 564, 234 (2018).
[2] YC. Lin, R. Matsumoto, Q. Liu, et al., Nat. Commun. 15, 6445 (2024).
[3] I. Chepkasov, M. Ghorbani-Asl, et al., Nano Energy 75, 104927 (2020).
[4] X. Zhang, M. Ghorbani-Asl, et al., Mater. Today Energy 34, 101293 (2023).
[5] Y. Li, F. Börrnert, M. Ghorbani-Asl, et al., Adv. Funct. Mater. 30, 2406034 (2024).
[6] YC. Lin, S. Kretschmer, M. Ghorbani-Asl, et al., Adv. Mater. 33, 2170415 (2021).
[7] Q. Liu, S. Kretschmer, M. Ghorbani-Asl, et al., ACS Nano 17, 23659 (2023).
[8] Q. Liu, H. Sun, Y. Lin, M. Ghorbani-Asl, et al., ACS Nano 19, 4845 (2025).
[9] J. Picker, M. Ghorbani-Asl, et al., Nano Lett. 25, 3330 (2025).
Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf
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Contact: Thomas Michely / Matteo Cacco