Ultrafast Exfoliation of High-Quality γ-Graphyne Nanoflakes via Liquid Metal-Assisted Electrochemical Intercalation...

γ-Graphyne (γ-GY) is a novel layered carbon allotrope featuring sp and sp² hybridized networks. Its 2D nanoflakes are predicted to possess extraordinary properties, including tunable optoelectronic characteristics, strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption, and superior biocompatibility, offering immense potential for photothermal antibacterial applications. Despite breakthroughs achieved in synthesizing bulk γ-GY crystals in recent years, the scalable exfoliation of them into high-quality nanoflakes remains a formidable challenge, hindering their broad applications. Herein, we developed a liquid metal-assisted electrochemical exfoliation (LME) strategy for the production of γ-GY nanoflakes (γ-GYNFs). Due to the "soft contact" between the liquid metal electrodes and the bulk precursors, the exfoliation efficiency was significantly improved while minimizing mechanical damage. Consequently, high-quality, large-sized γ-GYNFs were successfully produced for the first time through an ultrafast exfoliation process completed in just 3 min. Comprehensive characterizations confirmed the structural integrity of the exfoliated γ-GYNFs, with a large lateral dimension up to 2.2 µm and a uniform thickness of ∼4.3 nm. Significantly, the high-quality γ-GYNFs demonstrated a remarkable antibacterial efficiency of 99.34% against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), attributed to the synergistic effect of physical membrane disruption and exceptional photothermal conversion performance. This work not only provides an efficient pathway for the scalable production of γ-GYNFs, but also highlights their potential as effective antimicrobial agents.