Hybrid Material May Outperform Graphene in Several Applications
March 1, 2019 | Agência FAPESPEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
![](https://iconnect007.com/application/files/4816/3130/6361/Hybrid.jpg)
Materials that are hybrid constructions (combining organic and inorganic precursors) and quasi-two-dimensional (with malleable and highly compactable molecular structures) are on the rise in several technological applications, such as the fabrication of ever-smaller optoelectronic devices.
Image Caption: A structure comprising a molybdenum disulfide monolayer on an azobenzene substrate could be used to build a highly compactable and malleable quasi-two-dimensional transistor powered by light (image: atomistic representations of molybdenum disulfide monolayer with an azobenzene molecule in its trans and cis isomers/ Physical Review B)
An article published in the journal Physical Review B describes a study in this field resulting from the doctoral research of Diana Meneses Gustin and Luís Cabral, both supervised by Victor Lopez Richard, a professor at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) in Brazil. Cabral was cosupervised by Juarez Lopes Ferreira da Silva, a professor at the University of São Paulo’s São Carlos Chemistry Institute (IQSC-USP). Gustin was supported by FAPESP via a doctoral scholarship and a scholarship for a research internship abroad.
“Gustin and Cabral explain theoretically the unique optical and transport properties resulting from interaction between a molybdenum disulfide monolayer (inorganic substance MoS2) and a substrate of azobenzene (organic substance C12H10N2),” Lopez Richard told Agência FAPESP.
Illumination makes the azobenzene molecule switch isomerization and transition from a stable trans spatial configuration to a metastable cis form, producing effects on the electron cloud in the molybdenum disulfide monolayer. These effects, which are reversible, had previously been investigated experimentally by Emanuela Margapoti in postdoctoral research conducted at UFSCar and supported by FAPESP.
Gustin and Cabral developed a model to emulate the process theoretically. “They performed ab initio simulations (computational simulations using only established science) and calculations based on density functional theory (a quantum mechanical method used to investigate the dynamics of many-body systems). They also modeled the transport properties of the molybdenum disulfide monolayer when disturbed by variations in the azobenzene substrate,” Richard explained.
While the published paper does not address technological applications, the deployment of the effect to build a light-activated two-dimensional transistor is on the researchers’ horizon.
“The quasi two-dimensional structure makes molybdenum disulfide as attractive as graphene in terms of space reduction and malleability, but it has virtues that potentially make it even better. It’s a semiconductor with similar electrical conductivity properties to graphene’s and it’s more versatile optically because it emits light in the wavelength range from infrared to the visible region,” Richard said.
The hybrid molybdenum-disulfide-azobenzene structure is considered a highly promising material, but a great deal of research and development will be required if it is to be effectively deployed in useful devices.
Suggested Items
Altair Signs MoU With University of Nottingham to Develop Aerospace Digital Twin Project
07/25/2024 | PRNewswireAltair, a global leader in computational intelligence, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the U.K.-based University of Nottingham for a digital twin project within the aerospace sector.
Hon Hai Research Institute Celebrates 50 Year at 2024 AI NExT Forum
07/19/2024 | FoxconnHon Hai Research Institute will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hon Hai Corporation and will hold the "AI NExT Forum " at the National Taiwan University Conference Center on July 23.
Keysight Joins the AI-RAN Alliance to Advance AI Innovations in Mobile Networks
07/15/2024 | Keysight Technologies, Inc.Keysight Technologies, Inc. has joined the AI-RAN Alliance to advance the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and innovations in radio access networks (RAN). Established in early 2024, the alliance is a collaborative initiative bringing together technology, industry, and academic institutions to integrate AI into cellular technology to enhance RAN performance and mobile network capabilities.
Whole Cloud Market in Asia/Pacific will Hit $329.1B in 2027
07/08/2024 | IDCAccording to a recent IDC report, Asia/Pacific Whole Clou d Forecast, 202 4 –202 7, the Asia/Pacific Whole Cloud spending is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 17.3% and reach $329.1 billion by 2027.
New Leap in Belgian Quantum Communication Infrastructure: imec, UGent and Belnet Realize First QKD Links
07/02/2024 | ImecBeQCI, the consortium charged with deploying the first ever open quantum communication infrastructure in Belgium, has reached an important milestone in its Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) mission.