Release Time:2019-03-13  Hits:

Indexed by: Journal Article

Date of Publication: 2019-01-08

Journal: ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION

Included Journals: Scopus、PubMed、SCIE

Volume: 58

Issue: 2

Page Number: 467-471

ISSN: 1433-7851

Key Words: black phosphorus; degradation mechanism; density functional calculations; hydroxide ion; nanostructures

Abstract: The practical application of layered black phosphorus (LBP) is compromised by fast decomposition in the presence of H2O and/or O-2. The role of H2O is controversial. Herein, we propose a hydroxide ion (OH-)-initiated degradation mechanism for LBP to elucidate the role of H2O. We found that LBP degraded faster in alkaline solutions than in neutral or acidic solutions with or without O-2. Degradation rates of LBP increased linearly from pH 4 to 10. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations showed that OH- initiated the decomposition of LBP through breaking the P-P bond and forming a P-O bond. The detection of hypophosphite, generated from OH- reacting with P atoms, confirmed the hypothesis. Protons acted in a way distinctive from OH-, by inducing deposition/aggregation or forming a cation-pi layer to protect LBP from degradation. This work reveals the degradation mechanism of LBP and thus facilitates the development of effective stabilization technologies.