British researchers have developed one-atom-thick ribbons of phosphorus combined with arsenic that could significantly improve the efficiency of devices such as batteries, supercapacitors and solar cells.
This discovery opens new perspectives for energy, medicine and quantum computing.
Phosphorus and arsenic nanoribbons
In 2019, the UCL research team discovered this Nanoribbons of phosphorus, a material that promises to revolutionize various devices, from batteries to biomedical sensors. On the other hand, materials composed only of phosphorus do not conduct electricity very well, limiting their use for certain applications.
In the new study, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, researchers created nanoribbons made of phosphorus and phosphorus small amounts of arsenicwhich are proven to be able to conduct electricity at temperatures above -140°C while retaining the very useful properties of phosphorus-only tapes.
Possible applications
Dr. Adam Clancy, lead author of the study, explains that adding arsenic to phosphorus nanoribbons opens up new possibilities, including improving energy storage Batteries And Supercapacitorsand improving near-infrared detectors for medicine.
Additionally, arsenic and phosphorus ribbons have been found to be magnetic, making them potentially interesting Quantum computers.
The researchers believe the same technique could be used to create alloys that combine phosphorus with other elements such as selenium or germanium.
Effects on batteries and solar cells
Currently, to be used as an anode material in lithium-ion or sodium-ion batteries, phosphorus nanoribbons would have to be mixed with a conductive material such as carbon. By adding arsenic, carbon filling is no longer necessary and can be saved, increasing the amount of energy the battery can store and the rate at which it can be charged and discharged.
In solar cells, arsenic and phosphorus nanoribbons can also improve the flow of charge through devices, thereby increasing cell efficiency.
UCL researchers have created one-atom-thick ribbons of phosphorus alloyed with arsenic that could significantly improve the efficiency of devices such as batteries, supercapacitors and solar cells. Photo credit: Clancy et al/JACS
One of the main characteristics of nanoribbons is that they also have extremely high “hole mobility”. Holes are the counterparts of electrons in electrical transport. Improving their mobility (a measure of how quickly they move through the material) allows electrical current to flow more efficiently.
The nanoribbons could be produced on a large scale in a liquid that could then be used to deploy them in large quantities and at low cost for various applications.
synthetic
Phosphorus and arsenic nanoribbons developed by UCL researchers offer significant potential to improve the efficiency of energy, medical and computing devices. This discovery could lead to major advances in the field of batteries. SupercapacitorsSolar cells and quantum computers.
For better understanding
1. What are phosphorus and arsenic nanoribbons?
Phosphorus and arsenic nanoribbons are one-atom-thick structures made of phosphorus alloyed with arsenic. They have interesting electrical and magnetic properties for various applications.
2. What are the possible applications of these nanoribbons?
Potential applications include improving energy storage in batteries and supercapacitors, improving near-infrared detectors for medicine, and use in quantum computers.
Adding arsenic to the phosphorus nanoribbons eliminates the need for carbon filling, increasing the amount of energy the battery can store and the speed at which it can be charged and discharged.
Arsenic and phosphorus nanoribbons can improve the flow of charge through devices, thereby increasing the efficiency of solar cells.
5. What are the next steps for these nanoribbons?
Researchers will continue to explore the properties and potential applications of phosphorus and arsenic nanoribbons, as well as the possibility of producing alloys with other elements such as selenium or germanium.
*Phosphorus nanoribbons were discovered at UCL by an interdisciplinary team led by Professor Chris Howard (UCL Physics & Astronomy). Since the isolation of two-dimensional phosphorus layers in 2014, more than 100 theoretical studies have predicted exciting new properties that could arise from producing narrow ribbons of this material.
Article: “Fabrication of magnetic arsenic-phosphorus alloy nanoribbons with small band gaps and high hole conductivities” – DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c03230
[ Rédaction ]