Graphene and Beyond: Recent Advances in Two-Dimensional Materials Synthesis, Properties, and Devices.

Since the isolation of graphene in 2004, two-dimensional (2D) materials research has rapidly evolved into an entire subdiscipline in the physical sciences with a wide range of emergent applications. The unique 2D structure offers an open canvas to tailor and functionalize 2D materials through layer number, defects, morphology, moiré pattern, strain, and other control knobs. Through this review, we aim to highlight the most recent discoveries in the following topics: theory-guided synthesis for enhanced control of 2D morphologies, quality, yield, as well as insights toward novel 2D materials; defect engineering to control and understand the role of various defects, including and methods; and properties and applications that are related to moiré engineering, strain engineering, and artificial intelligence.

Two-Dimensional Crystals as a Buffer Layer for High Work Function Applications: The Case of Monolayer MoO.

We propose that the crystallinity of two-dimensional (2D) materials is a crucial factor for achieving highly effective work function (WF) modification. A crystalline 2D MoO monolayer enhances substrate WF up to 6.4 eV for thicknesses as low as 0.

Comparison of the Physicochemical Properties of Carboxylic and Phosphonic Acid Self-Assembled Monolayers Created on a Ti-6Al-4V Substrate.

This study compared the tribological properties in nano- and millinewton load ranges of Ti‑6Al-4V surfaces that were modified using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of carboxylic and phosphonic acids. The effectiveness of the creation of SAMs with the use of the liquid phase deposition (LPD) technique was monitored by the contact angle measurement, the surface free energy (SFE) calculation, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements. The obtained results indicated that more stable and well-ordered layers, which were characterized by the lowest values of the coefficient of friction, adhesion, and wear rate, were obtained using phosphonic acid as a surface modifier.