Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) with two-dimensional (2D) nanosheet morphology possess unique surface characteristics, making them highly favourable for photocatalytic applications. This study synthesised Cu²⁺-based MOF nanosheets using a modified three-layer method. This approach is relatively simple, energy-efficient, and qualifies as a green synthesis method. The MOFs were prepared from copper(II) nitrate trihydrate (Cu(NO₃)₂·3H₂O) as the metal precursor and 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H₂BDC) as the organic linker, aiming to evaluate their photocatalytic activity for methylene blue degradation. The resulting Cu-BDC nanosheets displayed characteristic FTIR absorption bands at 1501 and 1547 cm⁻¹ corresponding to symmetric and asymmetric C=O stretching, 1394 cm⁻¹ for C–O stretching, and peaks at 751 and 569 cm⁻¹ associated with Cu–O vibrations. The XRD analysis revealed four sharp peaks at 2θ values of 8.2°, 10.2°, 16.1°, and 34.1°, indicating good crystallinity with a calculated crystallite size of 22.03 nm, and the bandgap energy is 3.89 eV. Cu-BDC nanosheets exhibit a thin sheet morphology with elemental compositions of carbon 73.08%, oxygen 11.19%, and copper 15.73%. Cu-BDC nanosheets exhibit optimal degradation activity at pH 13, with an optimal catalyst dose of 5 mg and an initial dye concentration of 20 ppm, achieving a degradation capacity of 98.62 mg/g after 120 minutes of reaction. Copyright © 2025 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

Solvent-mediated synthesis of 2D In-TCPP MOF nanosheets for enhanced photodynamic antibacterial therapy

Over the past two decades, two‐dimensional (2D) materials have garnered significant attention in both academic research and real‐world applications. Among these, 2D metal–organic framework (MOF) nanosheets stand out due to their remarkable structural tunability, ultrathin layered architectures, high surface area, accessible metal nodes, soft crystallinity, and anisotropic structural arrangements. These distinctive features make 2D MOF nanosheets highly promising candidates for a variety of advanced applications, including proton‐conducting electrolytes for fuel cells, selective sensing and molecular recognition, and the separation of diverse molecules—from small organic pollutants and metal ions to large biomolecules such as DNA. Despite their considerable potential, a substantial gap remains between laboratory‐scale research and industrial‐scale implementation. This gap is primarily attributed to challenges such as limited scalability, high production costs, stability concerns, and the pronounced stacking tendency of 2D MOF nanosheets, which can diminish their unique properties. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the structural understanding, synthetic strategies, nanosheet formation processes, and stacking behaviors of 2D MOF nanosheets. We further discuss their applications as proton‐conducting materials in proton‐exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), as well as their roles in sensing, recognition, and molecular separation. By elucidating the structure–property relationships, particularly the influence of secondary building units (SBUs) on nanosheet morphology and performance, we seek to bridge the gap between fundamental research and practical, industrial utilization of these promising materials.

Designing and synthesizing condensed, thermally stable zeolites by inverse sigma expansion of open-framework zeolites has been well achieved. However, creating thermally stable open-framework zeolites through sigma expansion of condensed-frameworks remains rare. Herein, we present the rational design and synthesis of a thermally stable medium-pore aluminosilicate zeolite SCM-53, which possesses a 2D 10× 10-ring channel system. The framework of SCM-53 was theoretically predicted by sigma expansion of the framework of SCM-51, a small-pore aluminosilicate zeolite featuring a 2D 8× 8-ring channel system prepared by calcination of the layered precursor SCM-50. SCM-53 was rationally synthesized by successive interlayer silylation and calcination treatments of SCM-50. The structure of SCM-53 was validated by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and N2 absorption measurement. Our results demonstrate that SCM-53 possesses accessible micropores (5.9× 4.9 Å), an ultrathin nanosheet morphology (∼15nm), and high thermal stability (up to 800 °C), suggesting its potential for adsorption and catalytic applications. We anticipate that sigma expansion offers a promising approach for the rational design and synthesis of targeted novel zeolite structures.

To address the inherent limitations of poor electrical conductivity and sluggish kinetics in nickel–iron layered double hydroxides (NiFe-LDHs) for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), this study employs a trace vanadium(v) doping strategy to enhance charge transfer kinetics. We successfully synthesized V-doped NiFe-LDH (NiFe-Vx) electrocatalysts, particularly the optimized NiFe-V1.0/GCE, via a facile hydrothermal method. Comprehensive characterization (SEM, TEM, XRD, EDS, XPS) confirmed that V (1.0 mol.%) is uniformly dispersed within the NiFe-LDH structure primarily as VO2 (V4+) and V2O5 (V5+), forming intimate heterointerfaces with the host matrix without altering the characteristic layered nanosheet morphology. This V doping induces significant electronic structure modulation, evidenced by increased Ni3+ content and charge transfer between V and Ni/Fe, which downshifts the Ni/Fe d-band center. Electrochemical evaluations in 1 M KOH demonstrated exceptional OER performance for NiFe-V1.0/GCE: a low overpotential of 254 mV at 10 mA cm−2, a small Tafel slope of 41.21 mV dec−1, and remarkable stability over 240 hours chronoamperometry and 1000 CV cycles. Mechanistic studies revealed that V doping synergistically enhances performance by: (i) reducing interfacial charge transfer resistance (Rct decreased by 40.8% to 177 Ω cm−2via EIS) and inducing a positive shift in flat-band potential, facilitating charge separation; (ii) increasing the electrochemical active surface area by 33% (Cdl = 26.1 mF cm−2); and (iii) lowering bulk resistance (R2 reduced by 39.5%) due to the metallic conductivity of VO2. This work provides a viable strategy for designing high-performance, non-precious OER electrocatalysts through targeted heteroatom doping.

Water splitting is a highly promising approach for producing high-purity hydrogen using renewable energy sources, providing a sustainable and environmentally friendly pathway to carbon neutrality. Of the two half-reactions involved in water electrolysis, the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) plays a particularly critical role, as it largely determines the overall energy efficiency and performance of the system. Although platinum group metal (PGM)-based catalysts, such as platinum (Pt), have been widely recognized for their exceptional HER activity and fast reaction kinetics, their high cost and limited availability pose significant challenges for practical and large-scale applications. This economic and resource limitation has driven extensive research into the development of efficient, durable, and cost-effective non-precious metal alternatives that can replace PGMs while maintaining comparable performance. In this study, we designed and fabricated a cobalt-molybdenum layered double hydroxide (CoMo-LDH) electrode specifically for HER, employing a sequential electrodeposition process followed by a surface chemical reaction to achieve the desired structure. The resulting CoMo-LDH exhibited a nanosheet morphology with a high specific surface area, which significantly enhanced catalytic activity. In addition, the introduction of high-valence molybdenum created oxygen vacancies within the lattice, which effectively modulated the adsorption and binding energies of key reaction intermediates while preserving overall electrical neutrality. These structural and electronic features collectively contributed to remarkable HER performance and long-term operational stability.

ABSTRACT Supramolecular assembly is a versatile bottom‐up strategy for creating advanced functional materials. Metallic platinum–platinum (Pt···Pt) interactions provide a distinctive driving force for supramolecular assembly due to their strong, directional, and long‐range nature. Despite their importance, the microscopic dynamics underlying the self‐assembly of Pt(II) complexes remain challenging to probe experimentally. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations can capture these processes at atomic resolution, but extracting kinetic pathways is complicated by the indistinguishability and permutation of identical monomers within self‐assembled structures. In this study, we employ GraphVAMPnet, a deep learning framework based on graph neural networks (GNN), on extensive MD simulations of amphiphilic PtB complexes during the early stage of self‐assembly. GraphVAMPnet inherently accounts for permutational, rotational, and translational invariance, making it well‐suited for analyzing self‐assembly dynamics. Our analysis reveals three slow collective variables (CVs) that govern PtB self‐assembly. The slowest mode (CV1) separates two distinct kinetic growth routes: an incremental growth mechanism, in which single monomers join existing aggregates with predominantly antiparallel packing between two adjacent PtB complexes (CV3), and a hopping growth mechanism, in which clusters of smaller size merge via heterogeneous collisions, yielding a mix of antiparallel and parallel packing arrangements (CV2). Further energetic analysis indicates that incremental growth is favored, potentially leading to the well‐ordered nanosheet morphologies observed experimentally. Our findings provide molecular‐level insight into PtB self‐assembly pathways and showcase the capability of GraphVAMPnet in dissecting the complex dynamics of supramolecular assembly.

Efficient photocatalytic conversion of biomass-derived hydroxyl acids to amino acids over Ni/CdS.

This study investigates the structural, morphological, hydrodynamic, colloidal stability, anticancer, antibacterial, antioxidant, and hemolytic properties of Cu and Mn doped ZnS nanosheets (NSs). XRD examination indicated that the produced NSs exhibit high purity with a cubic structure. The average crystallite size was determined to be 1.66 nm for ZCMn1, 1.60 nm for ZCMn2, 1.26 nm for ZCMn3, and 1.39 nm for ZCMn4 NSs (ZnS = ZCMn1; Zn0.98Cu0.02S = ZCMn2; Zn0.97Mn0.01Cu0.02S = ZCMn3; Zn0.96Mn0.02Cu0.02S = ZCMn4). TEM analysis showed that the synthesized NSs exhibit a crumpled nanosheet morphology with agglomerated particles. The ZCMn4 NSs displayed the smallest hydrodynamic size and the best colloidal stability. The ZCMn4 NSs also demonstrated superior antibacterial efficacy, with zones of inhibition (ZOI) measuring 14mm, 14 mm, 17 mm, 16 mm, and 13 mm for S. aureus, E. faecalis, P. aeruginosa, E. coli, and C. albicans, respectively. Antioxidant and hemolytic activities were also evaluated, further highlighting the multifunctionality of the synthesized nanomaterials. Notably, the ZCMn4 NSs exhibited minimal hemolytic activity, with a lysis rate of only 0.33% at a dosage of 500 μg/mL. The doped and dual-doped ZnS NSs exhibited strong and selective cytotoxic effects against melanoma cells while sparing normal melanocytes. Furthermore, a TUNEL assay was performed to confirm that the reduction in cell viability resulted from apoptotic cell death. These findings underscore the potential of Mn and Cu-doped ZnS nanosheets as promising therapeutic nanomaterials for cancer treatment, drug delivery, MRI, and other biological applications.

Introducing hierarchical structure into zeolites or synthesizing two-dimensional (2D) zeolite nanosheets have drawn much attention in catalysis and separation process due to the improvement in zeolites’ diffusion properties. In this study, Fe incorporated on the MFI zeolite framework (Fe-MFI) with the nanosheet morphology and unique hierarchical pore structure was successfully synthesized and applied for the adsorption and degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) in a Fenton-like reaction in the presence of H2O2. The synthesis involved a seed-directed hydrothermal method in the presence of NH4F and a subsequent NaOH treatment made the synthesized hierarchical Fe-MFI nanosheets (Fe-20-10) characterized by abundant highly dispersed framework Fe3+ species. As a result of these features, the Fe-20-10 showed excellent ability of adsorption and degradation efficiency of RhB, and enhanced durability due to negligible leaching of framework Fe3+ species. Moreover, the hydroxyl radicals were determined as the main the reactive oxygen species of RhB degradation, and a possible adsorption–degradation pathway was proposed. This work offers guidance for developing high-performance Fenton-like degradation catalysts.

Abstract Effluents from the textile industry contain high concentrations of synthetic dyes, such as methylene blue, which are released into the environment (water bodies) and have the potential to negatively impact aquatic life, humans, and animals due to their neurotoxicity, photosynthesis disruption, and oxygen depletion. Thus, the importance of finding viable solutions for the removal of methylene blue from wastewater is emphasized. It is with this regard that the current study focuses on the effective removal of methylene blue using adsorption and WS2 nanosheets. The nanosheets were fabricated at different residence times and yielded black and grey WS2. The morphological and surface characteristics of the nanosheets were determined by using microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed typical characteristic functional groups for the WS2 materials between 650–1250 and 1600–3300 cm−1, respectively. Meanwhile, scanning electron microscopy revealed flake‐like nanosheet morphologies. The point of zero charge was found to be 1.90 for grey WS2 and 2.47 for black WS2 nanosheets. The optimized adsorption conditions were found to be pH 7, initial concentration of 250 mg/L, the adsorbent dosage of 60 mg, and a contact time of 60 min. The maximum removal efficiency was 95.8% grey (WS2) and 98.9% black (WS2), respectively. The theoretical qe values (148, 41, and 164, 02 mg g−1) were found to be closer to the experimental values (145,07 and 167, 56 mg g−1). The thermodynamics shows that the reaction was endothermic in nature, indicated by positive ΔH0, and the positive ΔS0 indicted the increased randomness at the solid–liquid interface. The reusability tests at optimum conditions show that the black tungsten disulfide is highly stable and is rendered an economically feasible catalyst.

Self-assembled nanosheets of biocompatible polymers as universal cell-membrane mimic to block viral infection.

Hydrogen's extreme flammability and propensity for undetected leaks pose critical safety hazards in renewable energy and industrial systems, yet noble-metal-free sensors face intrinsic limitations in response kinetics and stability. Herein, we report a noble-metal-free hydrogen-sensitive SnO2@WO3 hexagonal nanosheets synthesized via a cluster-nucleus coassembly strategy. The bottom-up coassembly approach directs the interfacial self-assembly of WO3 clusters and SnO2 nuclei, enabling atomic-level coupling at the heterointerface. The SnO2@WO3 heterointerface modulates the W coordination environment, amplifying oxygen vacancy (Ov) density compared to that of pristine SnO2. Remarkably, the sensor based on SnO2@WO3 exhibited unique H2 gas sensing properties in the absence of catalytic sensitization of noble metals, including a high response value (Ra/Rg = 12.06 for 1000 ppm of H2), rapid response time (8 s), excellent selectivity, and long-term stability and durability. The synergy of the two-dimensional nanosheet morphology and interfacial Ov-rich heterojunction facilitates efficient gas diffusion, charge transfer, and dissociation. The H2 adsorption (-1.367 eV) and O2 dissociation (-0.767 eV) at interfacial Ov sites explain the performance enhancement. Furthermore, we present a fully integrated wireless sensor module for real-time H2 monitoring with smartphone visualization via Bluetooth. In addition, we also demonstrated how a sensor-integrated smart car can dynamically inspect hydrogen leaks. This work introduces a new paradigm for designing high-performance tunable heterostructures for next-generation gas detection.

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have attracted considerable attention in gas sensing applications due to their highly tunable chemical composition and unique two-dimensional layered architecture. In this study, a series of ZnAl-LDHs with varying Zn/Al molar ratios were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method, and their ethanol sensing performance at room temperature was systematically evaluated. The influence of composition on the structural, morphological, and electronic properties of the materials was thoroughly investigated using a suite of characterization techniques, including XRD, FTIR, SEM, TEM, BET, XPS, PL, and EPR. Among the synthesized samples, the Zn/Al = 2 : 1 composition (denoted as ZA2.1) exhibited the highest sensing performance, achieving a 60% response ((Rg - Ra)/Rg × 100%) to 100 ppm ethanol at room temperature, with a rapid response time of 33 s and a recovery time of 4 s. This sample also demonstrated excellent selectivity and long-term stability. The enhanced sensing behavior is attributed to the synergistic effect between the optimized oxygen vacancy concentration (controlled by the Zn/Al molar ratio) and the efficient gas diffusion promoted by the orthorhombic hexagonal nanosheet morphology. The defect and nanostructure of ZnAl-LDHs can be regulated through composition engineering, providing a promising strategy for the development of high-performance room-temperature gas sensors.

Bimetallic sulfide is an outstanding pseudocapacitive material with high theoretical specific capacitance and good electronic conductivity. Herein, nickel-cobalt bimetallic sulfide (CoNi2S4/NiS) nanoframes composed of thin sheets are synthesized from Ni-Co Prussian blue analogues (NiCo-PBA) by an ion exchange method. The influence of sodium sulfide solution concentration on the morphology and supercapacitor (SC) performances of sulfides is systematically investigated. Benefiting from the unique nanoframe structure composed of nanosheet morphology and bimetallic active sites, the CoNi2S4/NiS-30 electrode displays a high specific capacity of 1243 C g-1 at 1 A g-1 and a high capacity retention rate of 75% when increasing the current density by 20-fold. It is worth emphasizing that the rate performance was improved by 68% compared with that of Ni3S4/NiS before ion exchange. The assembled asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) exhibits an energy density of 48.6 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 963 W kg-1 and good cycling stability, with a capacity retention rate of 81% after 5000 cycles. Moreover, the all-solid-state supercapacitor (SASC) has an energy density of 46.7 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 1081 W kg-1, and two SASCs connected in series can power an LED for exceeding 4 min. This study offers an innovative strategy to develop high-performance bimetallic sulfides for asymmetric supercapacitors.

The rational design of flexible and crumpled nanosheet hybrid materials integrating heteropoly acids (HPAs) and metal hydroxides offers great potential for advanced photocatalytic applications. However, conventional syntheses often require complex ligands or templates. Here, we report a ligand-free solvothermal approach to fabricate a structurally unique phosphomolybdic acid (PMA)-nickel hydroxide Ni(OH)2 hybrid using a simple solvent system, avoiding long-chain stabilizers. The incorporation of PMA into the reaction system induces a flexible, crumpled nanosheet morphology, as confirmed by electron microscopy, while preserving the Keggin structure of PMA. This synergistic integration endows the hybrid with exceptional photocatalytic activity, achieving ∼97% degradation of methylene blue (MB) under light illumination using a 20 W power LED, outperforming pure Ni(OH)2 (74%) due to enhanced charge separation. Moreover, the hybrid exhibits outstanding recyclability over four cycles without performance loss, attributed to its robust structural integrity. Beyond photocatalysis, the flexible yet stable architecture of PMA-Ni(OH)2 suggests potential for energy storage or sensing applications. This work demonstrates a facile, scalable route to POM-based hybrids and highlights their multifunctional versatility through tailored nanoarchitectonics.

Optimizing solution-processed nanosheet networks for electronic applications requires understanding the relationship between nanosheet dimensions, network morphology, and electrical properties. Here, we fabricate graphene nanosheets with both low- and high-aspect-ratios using liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE) and electrochemical exfoliation (EE), respectively. Spray-coated networks of both nanosheet types display distinct morphological and electrical properties. High-resolution 3D imaging shows that low-aspect-ratio LPE nanosheet networks display a disordered, porous structure with point-like junctions. Conversely, high-aspect-ratio EE graphene forms low-porosity networks with highly aligned nanosheets with large-area conformal junctions. Electrical measurements demonstrate that EE networks achieve lower resistivity and reduced percolation thicknesses due to reduced junction resistances and improved nanosheet alignment. We propose a theoretical model linking nanosheet bending rigidity, aspect ratio, and junction formation, highlighting the critical role of nanosheet flexibility in enabling conformal junctions. Furthermore, by size-selecting both nanosheet types, we measure the dependence of network resistivity on nanosheet thickness. LPE networks show increasing resistivity with thickness, whereas EE networks exhibit decreasing resistivity. We develop a simple model linking these behaviors to point-like and planar junctions respectively and quantify the size-dependence of both nanosheet and junction resistance for both cases. Unexpectedly, data analysis using this model predicts the EE nanosheets to be more conductive than the LPE ones, a fact confirmed by THz spectroscopy. This study establishes the importance of nanosheet aspect ratio and flexibility in governing network morphology and electrical performance. Our findings provide key insights for developing high-performance, solution-processed 2D material networks for future electronic devices.

This study systematically investigates the role of nitrogen annealing in enhancing the structural and electrochemical properties of ZnNiO2/NF composite anode materials synthesized via hydrothermal methods. By comparing air-annealed and nitrogen-annealed (400 and 600 °C) samples, it is demonstrated that nitrogen annealing at 400 °C induces the densely stacked nanosheet morphology with optimized lattice regularity, which can significantly improve the charge transport kinetics and the interfacial stability. Electrochemical evaluations reveal an outstanding initial discharge capacity of 1873.6 mAh g-1, retaining 1363.12 mAh g-1 after 40 cycles, significantly surpassing the performance of air-annealed (1024.5 mAh g-1) and high-temperature nitrogen-annealed (600 °C, 1000 mAh g-1) counterparts. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations elucidate that nitrogen doping introduces impurity energy levels near the Fermi surface, which lowers the diffusion barrier of lithium ions and increases the adsorption energy, resulting in an improvement of the chemical reaction rate and Li+ diffusion rate at the material surface.

Nanosheet morphology driven energy storage capacity of Gd-doped lithium oxide nanomaterial under wide range of temperatures

In this work, we have developed a novel and sensitive colorimetric sensor by the constructions of hierarchical star-like structure of exfoliated NiO called as NiO-ɤ catalyst with strong peroxidase mimetic properties. The as prepared sensor predicted highest sensing response with wider and linear range of 0.001-0.900 µM, having limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values of 0.09 ± 0.05 nM and 0.63 ± 0.05 nM. In addition, it also manifests astonishing selectivity, ample stability, better reproducibility and excellent practicality. Thus, as a result we concluded that this method is simple, robust, color stable and reliable, and hence provides an effective colorimetric bio-sensing platform for biomedical-diagnosis.