Nanostructure Fabrication and Characterization in Two-Dimensional Materials

Two-dimensional materials, typified by monolayer graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides, offer exceptional surface-to-volume ratios, mechanical flexibility and tunable electronic properties. Fabrication of nanostructures in these materials spans top-down approaches such as lithographic patterning and focused-ion-beam sculpting, and bottom-up methods including chemical vapour deposition and solution-phase self-assembly. Among emerging architectures, nanoscrolls, wrinkles and folds introduce curvature and open-ended geometries that modify interlayer coupling, optical gaps and charge transport pathways. Controlled scrolling of atomically thin flakes yields one-dimensional tubular or papyrus-like forms with enhanced adhesion, photoluminescence stability and hybrid interface density. Characterization techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence mapping provide insights into morphology, strain distribution, interlayer spacing and band-gap evolution. Electronic transport measurements and spectroscopic probes further reveal emergent phenomena including exciton binding modulation, superlubricity and anisotropic charge mobility. These advancements underpin applications in flexible electronics, optoelectronic devices, energy storage and nanoscale actuators, highlighting the global significance of precision nanostructuring in two-dimensional platforms.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Rapid in situ scrolling of chemical-vapour-deposited transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers into high-quality nanoscrolls has been achieved using a single ethanol droplet, affording near-unity yield in seconds while preserving photoluminescence and introducing self-encapsulated stability against environmental perturbations. Such nanoscrolls serve as versatile templates for hybrid integration with functional species. Investigations into graphene nanoscrolls have demonstrated markedly enhanced adhesion forces compared with flat monolayers, attributed to the absence of π-stacking and an increased contact perimeter, suggesting potential for super-strong, lightweight adhesive interfaces. A general, room-temperature method employing metal-salt triggers has enabled high-yield conversion of various two-dimensional nanosheets—graphene, boron nitride, molybdenum disulfide and tungsten disulfide—into nanoscrolls, with scalability that promises broader access to tubular architectures and systematic studies of curvature-driven property modulation.

Nanostructure Fabrication and Characterization in Two-Dimensional Materials publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in nanostructure fabrication and characterization in two-dimensional materials across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Two-dimensional materials: Atomically thin crystals with thicknesses of a few atoms, exhibiting high surface area and novel electronic, optical and mechanical properties.

Nanoscrolls: One-dimensional tubular structures formed by rolling up two-dimensional sheets into open-ended, spiral geometries.

Van der Waals interactions: Weak, non-covalent forces between adjacent layers or surfaces in two-dimensional assemblies, crucial for stacking and heterostructure formation.

Photoluminescence: Emission of light from a material following optical excitation, used to probe band-gap energies and defect states.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM): A technique that maps surface topography and measures nanoscale forces by raster-scanning a sharp tip across a sample.

References

1. Rolling up transition metal dichalcogenide nanoscrolls via one drop of ethanol. Nature Communications (2018).
2. Superior adhesion of graphene nanoscrolls. Communications Physics (2018).
3. A facile and general approach for production of nanoscrolls with high-yield from two-dimensional nanosheets. Scientific Reports (2018).
4. Fibrillation of Pristine 2D Materials by 2D‐Confined Electrolytes. Advanced Functional Materials (2024).
5. Indirect Band Gap in Scrolled MoS2 Monolayers. Nanomaterials (2022).
6. Direct CVD growth of MoS2 on chemically and thermally reduced graphene oxide nanosheets for improved photoresponse. APL Materials (2021).
7. Topological structures of transition metal dichalcogenides: A review on fabrication, effects, applications, and potential. InfoMat (2020).