One of the most attractive areas of research in Nanoscience is the combination of 2D materials through van der Waals forces heterostructures.¹ Here, we present strategies beyond dispersion forces to interface 0D-2D and 2D-2D materials.

We will show examples of 0D-2D heterostructures connected through covalent and noncovalent chemistry. In the first example, we will show a method to functionalize graphene covalently with exquisite (>98%) atomic selectivity.² In the second example, we will show that the photoresponse of MoS₂ photodetectors can be enhanced by simple and reversible supramolecular functionalization with organic dyes.³ Finally, we will also the unique example of franckeite, a naturally occuring van der Waals heterostructure that can be thinned down to very few layers, both mechanically and through liquid-phase exfoliation.⁴

References:

(1) Novoselov, K. S.; Mishchenko, A.; Carvalho, A.; Castro Neto, A. H. Science 2016, 353, DOI: 10.1126/science.aac9439

(2) Navarro, J. J.; Leret, S.; Calleja, F.; Stradi, D.; Black, A.; Bernardo-Gavito, R.; Garnica, M.; Granados, D.; Vazquez de Parga, A. L.; Pérez, E. M.; Miranda, R. Nano Lett. 2016, 16, 355.

(3) Molina-Mendoza, A. J.; Vaquero-Garzon, L.; Leret, S.; de Juan-Fernandez, L.; Pérez, E. M.; Castellanos-Gomez, A. Chem. Commun. 2016, 52, 14365.

(4) Molina-Mendoza, A. J.; Giovanelli, E.; Paz, W. S.; Nino, M. A.; Island, J. O.; Evangeli, C.; Aballe, L.; Foerster, M.; Van der Zant, H. S. J.; Rubio-Bollinger, G.; Agrait, N.; Palacios, J. J.; Perez, E. M.; Castellanos-Gomez, A. 2016, arXiv:1606.06651 (final version accepted in Nature Comms.)