Layers of crystalline nanosheets enable tunable electronic properties

Boron is a versatile non-metal element, but until the last five years, chemists have only theorized about the useful properties and applications of two-dimensional (2D) boron-containing materials. In a study published this month in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A, a group led by researchers from the University of Tsukuba brought theory to life by preparing the first 2D boron monosulfide (BS) nanosheets, which can be handled layer-by-layer to control their electronic properties.