Multielemental single-atom-thick A layers in nanolaminated V2(Sn, A)C (A=Fe, Co, Ni, Mn) for tailoring magnetic properties

TL;DR

This study introduces a novel nanolaminated material with multielement single-atom-thick layers, enabling atomic-level control of magnetic properties through alloying in the A layers, expanding the design space for advanced magnetic materials.

Contribution

It demonstrates the synthesis of multielement alloyed nanolaminates with tailored magnetic properties, a largely unexplored area in atomic-layer engineering.

Findings

Distinct ferromagnetic behavior observed in alloyed layers.

Magnetic properties can be tuned by composition.

Structural design expands chemical and property space.

Abstract

Tailoring of individual single-atom-thick layers in nanolaminated materials offers atomic-level control over material properties. Nonetheless, multielement alloying in individual atomic layers in nanolaminates is largely unexplored. Here, we report a series of inherently nanolaminated V2(A'xSn1-x)C (A'=Fe, Co, Ni and Mn, and combinations thereof, with x=1/3) synthesized by an alloy-guided reaction. The simultaneous occupancy of the four magnetic elements and Sn, the individual single-atom-thick A layers in the compound constitute high-entropy-alloy analogues, two-dimensional in the sense that the alloying exclusively occurs in the A layers. V2(A'xSn1-x)C exhibit distinct ferromagnetic behavior that can be compositionally tailored from the multielement A-layer alloying. This two-dimensional alloying provides a structural-design route with expanded chemical space for discovering materials and exploit properties.