Three dimensional nanosuperstructures made of two-dimensional materials by design: Synthesis, properties, and applications

Abstract The recent search for advanced materials with desired properties for next-generation flexible energy and electronic devices has focused on the unique class of two-dimensional (2D) materials made of layered crystalline structures. In particular, intensive interest has been devoted to configuring 2D materials into three-dimensional (3D) nanoporous superstructures (3DSs), which can effectively prevent aggregative restacking and maximize the exposure of active nanoscale planar surfaces. Here, we survey the recent progress of 3DSs made of several important 2D materials, including graphene, boron nitride (BN), transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD), and transition metal carbide/carbonitride (MXene). The characteristics of the formed 3DSs, including density, porosity, electrochemical activity, electronic and surface properties, depend on respective synthesis approaches and conditions. The obtained 3DSs, exhibiting distinctive properties, have been exploited in an array of applications, including shielding electromagnetic, thermal, and acoustic energies; sensing chemical, optical, and mechanical signals; serving as 3D scaffolds of energy and environment devices; and supporting 3D growth of live cells and tissues. At the end, this comprehensive review is summarized with future outlooks, including the great potentials, challenges, and bottleneck issues in fabrication and large-scale implementation of 3DSs.