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Updated: Aug 17, 2025
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Residue-Free Fabrication of van der Waals Heterostructures of Two-Dimensional Materials
Published on: July 18, 2025
170
Interfacial Liquid Water on Graphite, Graphene, and 2D Materials.
1Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049Madrid, Spain.
ACS Nano
|December 12, 2022
Summary
Interfacial water on 2D materials reveals surprising hydrocarbon layers under working conditions, replacing water molecules on aged surfaces due to favorable free-energy changes.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Chemistry
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Graphite and 2D materials possess unique properties driving applications in biosensing, energy storage, and water desalination.
- Understanding interfacial water structure at the molecular level is crucial for optimizing these applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent experimental and theoretical advancements in understanding interfacial water structure on graphite-like and 2D materials.
- To elucidate the molecular behavior of water at these interfaces under various conditions.
Main Methods:
- Atomic-scale resolution experiments.
- Molecular dynamics simulations.
- Free-energy calculations.
Main Results:
- Pristine 2D material surfaces exhibit 1-3 hydration layers separated by ~0.3 nm.
- Under working conditions, 2-3 hydrocarbon layers, primarily linear alkanes, form on the surface (~0.5 nm separation).
- Aged 2D material surfaces immersed in water show a complete replacement of water by alkanes.
Conclusions:
- The structure of interfacial water on 2D materials is highly dependent on surface conditions.
- Hydrocarbon layer formation is a significant phenomenon under standard operating conditions.
- Thermodynamic favorability drives the displacement of water by alkanes on aged surfaces.
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