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Updated: Dec 22, 2025
Electrophoretic Crystallization of Ultrathin High-performance Metal-organic Framework Membranes
Published on: August 16, 2018
In Situ Formation of Free-Standing Single-Atom-Thick Antiferromagnetic Chromium Membranes
Huy Quang Ta1,2, Qin Xiao Yang1,3, Shuyuan Liu1
1Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials Innovations, College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, and Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
Abstract:
Compared to van der Waals two-dimensional (2D) layers with lateral covalent bonds, metallic bonding systems favor close-packed structures, and thus, free-standing 2D metals have remained, for the most part, elusive. However, a number of theoretical studies suggest a number of metals can exist as 2D materials and a few early experiments support this notion. Here we demonstrate free-standing single-atom-thick crystalline chromium (Cr) suspended membranes using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy and image simulations. Density functional theory studies confirm the 2D Cr membranes have an antiferromagnetic ground state making them highly attractive for spintronic applications. Moreover, the work also helps consolidate the existence of a new family of 2D metal layers.
