About this Research Topic
In the last decade, two-dimensional (2D) materials have become a trendy topic of research. Apart from fundamental studies, they are being tested in all sorts of applications. Moreover, their heterostructures, modifications, and composites with other-dimensional materials are also being exhaustively studied. The meaning of these studies has been questioned in the fields of electrocatalysis and energy storage, to name a few.
Often, 2D materials are compared with each other, neglecting the fact that the key to application success requires performance privilege over all types of dimensionalities and not just over other 2D materials. In other words, a simple yet practical question is rarely addressed directly: is the choice of a certain 2D material justified as a better solution than their zero-dimensional (0D: nanoparticle, quantum dot), one-dimensional (1D: nanofiber, nanotube, etc.), or bulk counterparts? This kind of critical thinking may lead to the discovery of exceptional functional properties of 2D materials that would actually pave their road to landing into a commercial device. We challenge the scientific community to address this issue by conducting a wider comparison of material properties and related application prospects. Understanding the level of difficulty of this challenge, we will consider manuscripts testifying not only improved material/application properties (which is the conventional practice) but also inhibited ones, as long as the studies are conducted accurately. For that, we encourage/remind authors to include reference and control samples in their experimental batches: a common sense that is unfortunately sometimes overlooked. The field of study may be anything related to the scope of the Frontiers in Nanotechnology.
Often, 2D materials are compared with each other, neglecting the fact that the key to application success requires performance privilege over all types of dimensionalities and not just over other 2D materials. In other words, a simple yet practical question is rarely addressed directly: is the choice of a certain 2D material justified as a better solution than their zero-dimensional (0D: nanoparticle, quantum dot), one-dimensional (1D: nanofiber, nanotube, etc.), or bulk counterparts? This kind of critical thinking may lead to the discovery of exceptional functional properties of 2D materials that would actually pave their road to landing into a commercial device. We challenge the scientific community to address this issue by conducting a wider comparison of material properties and related application prospects. Understanding the level of difficulty of this challenge, we will consider manuscripts testifying not only improved material/application properties (which is the conventional practice) but also inhibited ones, as long as the studies are conducted accurately. For that, we encourage/remind authors to include reference and control samples in their experimental batches: a common sense that is unfortunately sometimes overlooked. The field of study may be anything related to the scope of the Frontiers in Nanotechnology.
Keywords: nanotechnology, nanomaterials, functional properties, zero-dimensional, material comparison
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
