Conjugated polymer coating enabled light-resistant black phosphorus with enhanced stability

Abstract

As an advanced two-dimensional (2D) material with unique properties, black phosphorus (BP) has attracted great attention in a variety of fields. One of the main obstacles for the practical application of BP is the poor ambient stability of few-layer BP, especially under light irradiation. In this study, a light-absorbing conjugated polymer is functionalized on the surface of BP during the exfoliation process, yielding BP nanosheets with light-resistance. The obtained BP/polymer nanosheets demonstrate enhanced stability compared to pure BP under sunlight. Systematic characterization reveals that the crystal structure and electronic characteristics of BP are well retained after 30 days of sun exposure. This convenient and efficient conjugated polymer passivation provides a novel light-prohibited method to improve the stability of BP for future applications.