Grant: Canada Research Chairs

This program aim to transform different layered materials into multifunctional nanosheets for applications in sustainable energy and next-generation wearable electronics. We will utilize metal intercalation in layered materials such as boron nitride and transition metal dichalcogenides to form metal intercalation compounds. The intercalation of metals within solid inorganic layers serves several purposes including shielding the intercalants from environmental damage and significantly enhancing charge-carrier mobility– both pivotal for catalysis and sensing. Metal intercalation also plays a vital role in the weakening interlayer bonding within layered materials. Subsequently, we will employ intercalation-assisted liquid phase exfoliation in compatible solvents. This step effectively exfoliates and disperses the metal intercalated materials, generating dispersions and inks of ultrathin nanosheets. The nanosheets will then be functionalized with metal nanoparticles, allowing us to assemble innovative metal nanoparticle/nanosheet heterostructures. These nanosheet inks, and metal nanoparticle/nanosheet heterostructures are designed for application in high-performance batteries, hydrogen production, photodetectors, solar cells, catalysis, sensors, and electromagnetic interference shielding. All materials prepared in this program will be thoroughly characterized, focusing on their structural, electronic, and chemical properties to explore their potential in catalytic systems for energy storage, wearable electronics, and sensing platforms. Our catalytic systems target the pressing need for cost-effective, efficient, chemical and clean energy production and storage. In addition, the energy storage devices such as batteries and capacitors aim to fulfil the current need for light, flexible, safe, and transparent energy storage systems. Furthermore, the sensor devices aim to fulfill the current demand for affordable, real-time, highly sensitive, and selective detection of a wide range of analytes. Overall, we aim to develop sensing, energy storage, and electronic devices for application in extreme environments and next-generation wearable electronics. This innovation is particularly relevant within the area of food-energy-water systems and the advancement of next-generation and smart and resilient infrastructures. We prioritize the development of low-cost and scalable nanomanufacturing processes for fabricating energy and next-generation wearable electronic devices.