Variant Plateau Law in Atomically Thin Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Dome Networks

TL;DR

This paper reports a novel variant of Plateau law observed in atomically thin TMD dome networks, revealing layer-dependent surface tension effects and demonstrating their potential for durable opto-electro-mechanical applications.

Contribution

It introduces a variant of Plateau law in solid 2D TMD domes, supported by experimental and theoretical layer-dependent vdWs interactions, expanding the law's applicability to nano-scale solid films.

Findings

Layer-dependent vdWs interaction energies measured

Surface tension differences lead to a variant Plateau law

Dome networks sustain high gas pressure over years

Abstract

Since its fundamental inception from soap bubbles, Plateau law has sparked extensive research in equilibrated states. However, most studies primarily relied on liquids, foams or cellular structures, whereas its applicability has yet to be explored in nano-scale solid films. Here, we observed a variant Plateau law in networks of atomically thin domes made of solid two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). Discrete layer-dependent van der Waals (vdWs) interaction energies were experimentally and theoretically obtained for domes protruding in different TMD layers. Significant surface tension differences from layer-dependent vdWs interaction energies manifest in a variant of this fundamental law. Meanwhile, the remarkable mechanical properties, gas impermeability and interlayer vdWs interaction energy of TMD films enable domes and the networks to sustain high gas pressure and exist in a fundamentally variant nature for several years. Our findings pave the way towards exploring variant discretised states with applications in opto-electro-mechanical devices.