Atom-thick sheets hold the key to new technologies

Layered materials are man-made and there are more than 150 types including boron nitride, molybdenum disulfide and tungsten disulfide. These materials have the potential to conduct and store energy when they are split into microscopic layers called "nanosheets". For decades, scientists have been working on methods to create nanosheets, but previous attempts have been time-consuming and resulted in the nanosheets being damaged, making them fragile and unsuitable for use.

A team of researchers have demonstrated for the first time in their study that they can make ‘nanosheets' from layered materials, without damaging their electrical and energy storage properties. The researchers say these nanosheets could be used to develop the next generation of metallic and semi-metallic composite materials. They could also be used to make electronic devices including energy storage technologies and thermoelectric materials that can convert heat into electrical energy.

The researchers say their technique for creating nanosheets is simple, fast and inexpensive. They beleive that it could be scaled up to an industrial level, where billions of nanosheets could be produced at an hourly rate.