One of the most attractive areas of research in Nanoscience is the combination of 2D materials through van der Waals forces to form heterostructures (Novoselov, K. S.; Mishchenko, A.; Carvalho, A.; Castro Neto, A. H. Science 2016, 353, DOI: 10.1126/science.aac9439). Here, we present strategies beyond dispersion forces to interface 0D (molecules) and 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 atomic selectivity and yield (NanoLett. 2016, Chem. Commun. 2017). 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 (Chem. Commun. 2016). We will also show the example of a naturally occurring van der Waals heterostructure, franckeite, an air stable, p-doped semiconductor with photoresponse in the far IR (Nat. Comms. 2017). Finally, we will present strategies for the self assembly of liquid-phase exfoliated 2D materials from suspension into functioning electronic devices (Chem. Commun. 2017).