Convenient one-pot approach for the preparation of novel atomically thin two-dimensional polymeric nanosheets, and its evolution in aqueous solution

•Organic–inorganic hybrid polymer nanosheets were successfully synthesized via polycondensation between hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene and melamine.•The polymeric nanosheets are of thickness about 0.9 nm.•The evolution process of the polymeric nanosheets from crumpled morphology to outstretched morphology with the help of hydrogen bonds was studied.

Atomically thin two-dimensional polymeric nanosheets were facilely synthesized via the polymerization between hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene and melamine. After the synthetic process, the polymeric nanosheets are of microspherical morphlogy, with the nanosheets being in the form of folded and crumpled structure. The folded and crumpled nanosheets could disintegrate to form outstretched nanosheet in aqueous solution, with the help of hydrogen bonds formed between the polymeric nanosheets and water molecules. A scanning probe microscope showed that the thickness of the hydrous polymeric nanosheets is about 0.91 nm. Transmission electron microscopy was used to study the disintegration process.