Isolation and characterization of nanosheets containing few layers of the Aurivillius family of oxides and metal-organic compounds

• Few-layer nanosheets of Aurivillius family of oxides with perovskite layers have been generated by lithium intercalation.
• Few-layer nanosheets of few layered metal-organic compounds have been generated by ultrasonication.
• Few-layer nanosheets of the Aurivillius oxides have been characterized by AFM, TEM and optical spectroscopy.
• Aurivillius oxides containing Fe show layer dependent magnetic properties.
• Exfoliated few-layer metal-organic compounds show changes in spectroscopic and magnetic properties compared with bulk materials.

Nanosheets containing few-layers of ferroelectric Aurivillius family of oxides, Bi2An−1BnO3n+3 (where A=Bi3+, Ba2+ etc. and B=Ti4+, Fe3+ etc.) with n=3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 have been prepared by reaction with n-butyllithium, followed by exfoliation in water. The few-layer samples have been characterized by Tyndall cones, atomic force microscopy, optical spectroscopy and other techniques. The few-layer species have a thickness corresponding to a fraction of the c-parameter along which axis the perovskite layers are stacked. Magnetization measurements have been carried out on the few-layer samples containing iron. Few-layer species of a few layered metal-organic compounds have been obtained by ultrasonication and characterized by Tyndall cones, atomic force microscopy, optical spectroscopy and magnetic measurements. Significant changes in the optical spectra and magnetic properties are found in the few-layer species compared to the bulk samples. Few-layer species of the Aurivillius family of oxides may find uses as thin layer dielectrics in photovoltaics and other applications.

Exfoliation of the layered Aurivillius oxides into few-layer nanosheets by chemical Li intercalation using n-BuLi followed by reaction in water. Exfoliation of the layered metal-organic compounds into few-layer nanosheets by ultrasonication.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide