CHAPTER 4: Solid-state Synthesis of Two-dimensional Layered Crystals

Exploring the full potential of two dimensional (2D) layered materials requires the precise synthesis of the chemical composition and the structures to realize their specific properties in electronics, optics, mechanics, etc. As most widely used methods for the preparation of artificial crystals, solid-state reaction routes are promising for the selective synthesis of high quality 2D atomic layered crystals on a large scale. In this chapter, we briefly introduce the solid-state synthesis methods and examine the different types of reactions employed in the synthesis of 2D inorganic materials. Besides the transitional solid-state decomposition, we mainly discuss chemical vapor transport, chemical vapor deposition, template driven growth and other solid-state related reactions that have been employed in the synthesis of 2D crystals, such as molecular beam epitaxy, atomic layer deposition, microwave-assisted and substitution reactions. The growth process, parameter effects, advantages and limitations, as well as structural characterization are presented, along with a discussion about future synthetic research for realizing theoretically designed new inorganic 2D layers.