Sliding Ferroelectric Catalyst for Carbon Nanoparticle Generation

Two dimensional (2D) materials can be converted into sliding ferroelectrics when they are stacked on top of each other with a small twist angle between them. We show that the sliding ferroelectric surface is catalytically active at ambient, room-temperature conditions. The presence of ferroelectric domains with sizes up to tens of micrometers allows us to straightforwardly follow the conversion from hydrocarbons into carbon nanoparticles on moiré domains with the right polarization direction. The process can be significantly accelerated by using white light illumination. This catalytic reaction illustrates the huge potential 2D, twisted moiré materials can have in catalysis and surface chemistry control.