English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Intercalation is a process of inserting chemical species into theheterointerfaces of two-dimensional (2D) layered materials. While much researchhas focused on intercalating metals and small gas molecules into graphene, theintercalation of larger molecules through the basal plane of graphene remainshighly unexplored. In this work, we present a new mechanism for intercalatinglarge molecules through monolayer graphene to form confined oxide materials atthe graphene-substrate heterointerface. We investigate the intercalation ofphosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) molecules directly from the vapor phase and confirmthe formation of confined P2O5 at the graphene heterointerface using varioustechniques. Density functional theory (DFT) corroborate the experimentalresults and reveal the intercalation mechanism, whereby P2O5 dissociates intosmall fragments catalyzed by defects in the graphene that then permeatesthrough lattice defects and reacts at the heterointerface to form P2O5. Thisprocess can also be used to form new confined metal phosphates (e.g., 2DInPO4). While the focus of this study is on P2O5 intercalation, the possibilityof intercalation from pre-dissociated molecules catalyzed by defects ingraphene may exist for other types of molecules as well. This study is asignificant milestone in advancing our understanding of intercalation routes oflarge molecules via the basal plane of graphene, as well as heterointerfacechemical reactions leading to the formation of distinctive confined complexoxide compounds.

Elucidating the Mechanism of Large Phosphate Molecule Intercalation Through Graphene Heterointerfaces