Transforming Layered to Nonlayered Two-Dimensional Materials: Cation Exchange of SnS₂ to Cu₂SnS₃

We demonstrate the chemical transformation of layered, two-dimensional (2D) SnS 2 to nonlayered Cu 2 SnS 3 via cation exchange. Resulting Cu 2 SnS 3 nanosheets (NSs) retain the overall starting morphology of their parent, few-layer SnS 2 templates. Specifically, they possess micrometer-sized dimensions and have controlled thicknesses dictated by the number of initial SnS 2 layers. Our demonstration shows that existing layered compounds can serve as templates for difficult-to-synthesize nonlayered 2D specimens with cation exchange providing a bridge between families of layered and nonlayered materials. New 2D systems are therefore accessible, opening the door to future explorations of low-dimensional nanostructure anisotropic optical and electrical properties.