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Structure, Function and Mechanics of Low-Dimensional Materials and Their Assemblies

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Mechanics of Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2022) | Viewed by 29457

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Prof. Dr. Xiaoyan Li

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Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Interests: carbon materials; nanostructured materials; energy storage materials and mechanical metamaterials
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Prof. Dr. Yang Lu

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Department of Mechanical Engineering, the City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
Interests: micro/nanomechanics; in situ electron microscopy; elastic strain engineering; wide-bandgap semiconductor; bio-inspired materials design; nanomanufacturing
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Dr. Hui Wu

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School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
Interests: energy storage materials; advanced ceramic materials; printed electronics
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, low-dimensional materials have become a class of emerging materials. Their sample sizes in one or more spatial dimensions are reduced to the nanoscale regime, leading to the unique size effects or confinement effects. Low-dimensional materials include zero-dimensional (0D) (such as quantum dot, nanoparticle, fullerene), one-dimensional (1D) (such as nanotube, nanowire, nanopillar) and two-dimensional (2D) materials (such as graphene, BN and black phosphorus monolayers). Due to their unique size effects, low-dimensional materials have exhibited excellent mechanical, thermal, electronic, optical, and chemical properties. As a basic building block, low-dimensional materials can be integrated into three-dimensional (3D) macroscopic assemblies. These 3D macroscopic structures or materials have shown enhanced functions in the fields of energy storage, sensing, catalysis, and environmental protection.

Aiming at highlighting some important concepts and developments of low-dimensional materials and their assemblies, this Special Issue will focus on the microstructures, functions, and mechanical properties/behaviors of various low-dimensional materials and their assemblies.

Because of your expertise in low-dimensional materials and their assemblies, we cordially invite you to contribute a paper to this Special Issue. Full papers, communications, and reviews are all welcome.

Thank you very much in advance for your time and consideration.

Prof. Dr. Xiaoyan Li
Prof. Dr. Yang Lu
Prof. Dr. Hui Wu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

low-dimensional materials
3D assemblies of low-dimensional materials
microstructures
mechanical properties
mechanical behaviors
functions
fabrication and design
experimental testing

Related Special Issue

Structure, Function and Mechanics of Low-Dimensional Materials and Their Assemblies (Volume II) in Materials

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 2290 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Superior Damage Tolerance of Fish Skins

by Emily Zhang, Chi-Huan Tung, Luyi Feng and Yu Ren Zhou

Materials 2023, 16(3), 953; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma16030953 - 19 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1091

Abstract

Skin is the largest organ of many animals. Its protective function against hostile environments and predatorial attack makes high mechanical strength a vital characteristic. Here, we measured the mechanical properties of bass fish skins and found that fish skins are highly ductile with a rupture strain of up to 30–40% and a rupture strength of 10–15 MPa. The fish skins exhibit a strain-stiffening behavior. Stretching can effectively eliminate the stress concentrations near the pre-existing holes and edge notches, suggesting that the skins are highly damage tolerant. Our measurement determined a flaw-insensitivity length that exceeds those of most engineering materials. The strain-stiffening and damage tolerance of fish skins are explained by an agent-based model of a collagen network in which the load-bearing collagen microfibers assembled from nanofibrils undergo straightening and reorientation upon stretching. Our study inspires the development of artificial skins that are thin, flexible, but highly fracture-resistant and widely applicable in soft robots. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure, Function and Mechanics of Low-Dimensional Materials and Their Assemblies)

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10 pages, 1686 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

A Lightweight AlTiVNb High-Entropy Alloy Film with High Strength-Ductility Synergy and Corrosion Resistance

by Xiaobin Feng, Chuangshi Feng and Yang Lu

Materials 2022, 15(23), 8568; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15238568 - 01 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1444

Abstract

The simultaneous improvement of mechanical and corrosion resistance is of great significance for engineering applications. In this work, a novel lightweight amorphous structure AlTiVNb high-entropy alloy (HEA) film was fabricated by magnetron sputtering. The compression test of the AlTiVNb HEA film nanopillar exhibits a high compressive strength of up to 3.6 GPa and deformability approaching 58%. The high strength is affected by the disordered state, the nanostructure, and the lattice distortion effect, while the high ductility comes from the ductile shear band and the island structure. In addition, the AlTiVNb HEA film shows a current density of 4.90 × 10⁻⁸ A/cm² and a potential of −0.234 V in the 3.5% NaCl solution, comparable to that of the 316L stainless steel. The chemical disorder state, cocktail effect, and homogeneous amorphous structure contribute to excellent corrosion resistance. This finding offers new insights into high-performance HEA films with robust mechanical and anticorrosion performances for microelectronic devices and mechanical metamaterials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure, Function and Mechanics of Low-Dimensional Materials and Their Assemblies)

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10 pages, 2450 KiB

Open AccessArticle

One Dimensional Twisted Van der Waals Structures Constructed by Self-Assembling Graphene Nanoribbons on Carbon Nanotubes

by Kun Zhou, Liya Wang, Ruijie Wang, Chengyuan Wang and Chun Tang

Materials 2022, 15(22), 8220; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15228220 - 18 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1827

Abstract

Twisted van der Waals heterostructures were recently found to possess unique physical properties, such as superconductivity in magic angle bilayer graphene. Owing to the nonhomogeneous stacking, the energy of twisted van der Waals heterostructures are often higher than their AA or AB stacking counterpart, therefore, fabricating such structures remains a great challenge in experiments. On the other hand, one dimensional (1D) coaxial van der Waals structures has less freedom to undergo phase transition, thus offer opportunity for fabricating the 1D cousin of twisted bilayer graphene. In this work, we show by molecular dynamic simulations that graphene nanoribbons can self-assemble onto the surface of carbon nanotubes driven by van der Waals interactions. By modifying the size of the carbon nanotubes or graphene nanoribbons, the resultant configurations can be controlled. Of particular interest is the formation of twisted double walled carbon nanotubes whose chiral angle difference can be tuned, including the 1.1° magic angle. Upon the longitudinal unzipping of such structures, twisted bilayer graphene nanoribbons can be obtained. As the longitudinal unzipping of carbon nanotubes is a mature technique, we expect the strategy proposed in this study to stimulate experimental efforts and promote the fast growing research in twistronics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure, Function and Mechanics of Low-Dimensional Materials and Their Assemblies)

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13 pages, 3240 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Facile Synthesis of BiVO₄@ZIF−8 Composite with Heterojunction Structure for Photocatalytic Wastewater Treatment

by Runjiang Guo, Yurui Xing, Mengqian Liu, Tanglong Bai, Chaodan Pu and Hongti Zhang

Materials 2021, 14(23), 7424; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14237424 - 03 Dec 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2317

Abstract

Water pollution has always been a serious problem across the world; therefore, facile pollutant degradation via light irradiation has been an attractive issue in the field of environmental protection. In this study, a type of Zn-based metal–organic framework (ZIF−8)-wrapped BiVO₄ nanorod (BiVO₄@ZIF−8) with high efficiency for photocatalytic wastewater treatment was synthesized through a two-step hydrothermal method. The heterojunction structure of BiVO₄@ZIF−8 was confirmed by morphology characterization. Due to the introduction of mesoporous ZIF−8, the specific surface area reached up to 304.5 m²/g, which was hundreds of times larger than that of pure BiVO₄ nanorods. Furthermore, the band gap of BiVO₄@ZIF−8 was narrowed down to 2.35 eV, which enabled its more efficient utilization of visible light. After irradiation under visible light for about 40 min, about 80% of rhodamine B (RhB) was degraded, which was much faster than using pure BiVO₄ or other BiVO₄-based photocatalysts. The synergistic photocatalysis mechanism of BiVO₄@ZIF−8 is also discussed. This study might offer new pathways for effective degradation of wastewater through facile design of novel photocatalysts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure, Function and Mechanics of Low-Dimensional Materials and Their Assemblies)

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14 pages, 3382 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Mo Segregation at Grain Boundaries on the High Temperature Creep Behavior of Ni-Mo Alloys: An Atomistic Study

by Qian Li, Jiayong Zhang, Huayuan Tang, Hongwu Zhang, Hongfei Ye and Yonggang Zheng

Materials 2021, 14(22), 6966; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14226966 - 18 Nov 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1771

Abstract

Based on molecular dynamics simulations, the creep behaviors of nanocrystalline Ni before and after the segregation of Mo atoms at grain boundaries are comparatively investigated with the influences of external stress, grain size, temperature, and the concentration of Mo atoms taken into consideration. The results show that the creep strain rate of nanocrystalline Ni decreases significantly after the segregation of Mo atoms at grain boundaries due to the increase of the activation energy. The creep mechanisms corresponding to low, medium, and high stress states are respectively diffusion, grain boundary slip and dislocation activities based on the analysis of stress exponent and grain size exponent for both pure Ni and segregated Ni-Mo samples. Importantly, the influence of external stress and grain size on the creep strain rate of segregated Ni-Mo samples agrees well with the classical Bird-Dorn-Mukherjee model. The results also show that segregation has little effect on the creep process dominated by lattice diffusion. However, it can effectively reduce the strain rate of the creep deformation dominated by grain boundary behaviors and dislocation activities, where the creep rate decreases when increasing the concentration of Mo atoms at grain boundaries within a certain range. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure, Function and Mechanics of Low-Dimensional Materials and Their Assemblies)

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10 pages, 5929 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Interfacial Friction Anisotropy in Few-Layer Van der Waals Crystals

by Kaibo Wang, Hao Li and Yufeng Guo

Materials 2021, 14(16), 4717; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14164717 - 20 Aug 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2074

Abstract

Friction anisotropy is one of the important friction behaviors for two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) crystals. The effects of normal pressure and thickness on the interfacial friction anisotropy in few-layer graphene, h-BN, and MoSe₂ under constant normal force mode have been extensively investigated by first-principle calculations. The increase of normal pressure and layer number enhances the interfacial friction anisotropy for graphene and h-BN but weakens that for MoSe₂. Such significant deviations in the interfacial friction anisotropy of few-layer graphene, h-BN and MoSe₂ can be mainly attributed to the opposite contributions of electron kinetic energies and electrostatic energies to the sliding energy barriers and different interlayer charge exchanges. Our results deepen the understanding of the influence of external loading and thickness on the friction properties of 2D vdW crystals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure, Function and Mechanics of Low-Dimensional Materials and Their Assemblies)

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14 pages, 12344 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Strain Characterization in Two-Dimensional Crystals

by Shizhe Feng and Zhiping Xu

Materials 2021, 14(16), 4460; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14164460 - 09 Aug 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3195

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) crystals provides a material platform to explore the physics and chemistry at the single-atom scale, where surface characterization techniques can be applied straightforwardly. Recently there have been emerging interests in engineering materials through structural deformation or transformation. The strain field offers crucial information of lattice distortion and phase transformation in the native state or under external perturbation. Example problems with significance in science and engineering include the role of defects and dislocations in modulating material behaviors, and the process of fracture, where remarkable strain is built up in a local region, leading to the breakdown of materials. Strain is well defined in the continuum limit to measure the deformation, which can be alternatively calculated from the arrangement of atoms in discrete lattices through methods such as geometrical phase analysis from transmission electron imaging, bond distortion or virial stress from atomic structures obtained from molecular simulations. In this paper, we assess the accuracy of these methods in quantifying the strain field in 2D crystals through a number of examples, with a focus on their localized features at material imperfections. The sources of errors are discussed, providing a reference for reliable strain mapping. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure, Function and Mechanics of Low-Dimensional Materials and Their Assemblies)

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10 pages, 2315 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Mechanochemical Synthesis of Pt/Nb₂CT_x MXene Composites for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

by Xiaoyuan Fan, Peng Du, Xiaoxuan Ma, Ruyue Wang, Jingteng Ma, Yonggang Wang, Dongyu Fan, Yuanzheng Long, Bohan Deng, Kai Huang and Hui Wu

Materials 2021, 14(9), 2426; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14092426 - 06 May 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2845

Abstract

Production of hydrogen from water splitting has been considered as a promising solution for energy conversion and storage. Since a noble metal-based structure is still the most satisfactory but scarce kind of catalyst, it is significant to allow for practical application of such catalysts by engineering the heterogeneous structure and developing green and facile synthetic strategies. Herein, we report a mechanochemical ball milling synthesis of platinum nanoclusters immobilized on a 2D transition metal carbide MXene (Nb₂CT_x) as an enhanced catalyst for hydrogen evolution. After annealing at 600 °C, ultrafine Pt₃Nb nanoclusters are formed on the Pt/Nb₂CT_x catalyst. As prepared, the Pt/Nb₂CT_x-600 catalyst demonstrates superior electrochemical HER activity and stability with an ultralow overpotential of 5 mV and 46 mV to achieve 10 mA cm⁻² and 100 mA cm⁻², respectively, in comparison with other Nb₂CT_x-based catalysts and commercial Pt/C catalysts. Moreover, the remarkable durability is also confirmed by accelerated durability tests (ADTs) and long-term chronoamperometry (CA) tests. The excellent HER performance was attributed to high Pt dispersion and more active site exposure by the mechanochemical process and thermal treatment. Such results suggest that the mechanochemical strategy provides a novel approach for rational design and cost-effective production of electrocatalysts, also providing other potential applications in a wide range of areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure, Function and Mechanics of Low-Dimensional Materials and Their Assemblies)

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Review

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34 pages, 12277 KiB

Open AccessReview

Multi-Scale Structure–Mechanical Property Relations of Graphene-Based Layer Materials

by Jingran Liu, Huasong Qin and Yilun Liu

Materials 2021, 14(16), 4757; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14164757 - 23 Aug 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3864

Abstract

Pristine graphene is one of the strongest materials known in the world, and may play important roles in structural and functional materials. In order to utilize the extraordinary mechanical properties in practical engineering structures, graphene should be assembled into macroscopic structures such as graphene-based papers, fibers, foams, etc. However, the mechanical properties of graphene-based materials such as Young’s modulus and strength are 1–2 orders lower than those of pristine monolayer graphene. Many efforts have been made to unveil the multi-scale structure–property relations of graphene-based materials with hierarchical structures spanning the nanoscale to macroscale, and significant achievements have been obtained to improve the mechanical performance of graphene-based materials through composition and structure optimization across multi-scale. This review aims at summarizing the currently theoretical, simulation, and experimental efforts devoted to the multi-scale structure–property relation of graphene-based layer materials including defective monolayer graphene, nacre-like and laminar nanostructures of multilayer graphene, graphene-based papers, fibers, aerogels, and graphene/polymer composites. The mechanisms of mechanical property degradation across the multi-scale are discussed, based on which some multi-scale optimization strategies are presented to further improve the mechanical properties of graphene-based layer materials. We expect that this review can provide useful insights into the continuous improvement of mechanical properties of graphene-based layer materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure, Function and Mechanics of Low-Dimensional Materials and Their Assemblies)

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39 pages, 99214 KiB

Open AccessReview

Structural Defects, Mechanical Behaviors, and Properties of Two-Dimensional Materials

by Zixin Xiong, Lei Zhong, Haotian Wang and Xiaoyan Li

Materials 2021, 14(5), 1192; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14051192 - 03 Mar 2021

Cited by 46 | Viewed by 7204

Abstract

Since the success of monolayer graphene exfoliation, two-dimensional (2D) materials have been extensively studied due to their unique structures and unprecedented properties. Among these fascinating studies, the most predominant focus has been on their atomic structures, defects, and mechanical behaviors and properties, which serve as the basis for the practical applications of 2D materials. In this review, we first highlight the atomic structures of various 2D materials and the structural and energy features of some common defects. We then summarize the recent advances made in experimental, computational, and theoretical studies on the mechanical properties and behaviors of 2D materials. We mainly emphasized the underlying deformation and fracture mechanisms and the influences of various defects on mechanical behaviors and properties, which boost the emergence and development of topological design and defect engineering. We also further introduce the piezoelectric and flexoelectric behaviors of specific 2D materials to address the coupling between mechanical and electronic properties in 2D materials and the interactions between 2D crystals and substrates or between different 2D monolayers in heterostructures. Finally, we provide a perspective and outlook for future studies on the mechanical behaviors and properties of 2D materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure, Function and Mechanics of Low-Dimensional Materials and Their Assemblies)

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