Molecule-Induced Conformational Change in Boron Nitride Nanosheets with Enhanced Surface Adsorption

TL;DR

This study reveals that molecules can induce conformational changes in boron nitride nanosheets, enhancing their surface adsorption capabilities and leading to improved applications in purification and sensing.

Contribution

It provides the first combined theoretical and experimental evidence of conformational changes in BN nanosheets caused by molecular adsorption.

Findings

BN nanosheets undergo conformational changes upon molecule adsorption

Conformational changes increase adsorption energy and efficiency

BN nanosheets outperform bulk hBN in purification and sensing

Abstract

Surface interaction is extremely important to both fundamental research and practical application. Physisorption can induce shape and structural distortion (i.e. conformational changes) in macromolecular and biomolecular adsorbates, but such phenomenon has rarely been observed on adsorbents. Here, we demonstrate theoretically and experimentally that atomically thin boron nitride (BN) nanosheets as an adsorbent experience conformational changes upon surface adsorption of molecules, increasing adsorption energy and efficiency. The study not only provides new perspectives on the strong adsorption capability of BN nanosheets and many other two-dimensional nanomaterials but also opens up possibilities for many novel applications. For example, we demonstrate that BN nanosheets with the same surface area as bulk hBN particles are more effective in purification and sensing.