# Printable and Antiferromagnetic Mn(OH)2@Te–O Core–Shell Nanosheets

## TL;DR

Researchers developed a one-step method to create printable, antiferromagnetic core-shell nanosheets with potential for electronic applications.

## Contribution

A one-step chemical exfoliation method to produce Mn(OH)₂@Te–O core–shell nanosheets with antiferromagnetic and printable properties.

## Key findings

- Few-layer crystalline Mn(OH)₂ cores are encapsulated by amorphous Te–O shells.
- The nanosheets exhibit antiferromagnetic ordering and can be deposited on various substrates.
- The resulting films show resistances in the megaohm range at room temperature.

## Abstract

Core–shell
nanomaterials provide a versatile platform for
tuning physical properties and integrating complementary functionalities
in nanoscale systems, but their synthesis often requires multistep
procedures and precise control over composition, morphology, and interfaces.
Achieving core–shell architectures in nanosheets is particularly
challenging due to the difficulty of controlling growth direction
and interfacial formation. Here, we describe a one-step chemical exfoliation
process that produces core–shell nanosheets from the highly
air-sensitive compound Li1+x
MnTe2. Brief sonication in Milli-Q water under ambient conditions yields
a dark gray suspension of nanosheets within 10 min, which remains
stable in air for at least 31 days. Powder X-ray diffraction, scanning
electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, inductively
coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry, and transmission
electron microscopy indicate the formation of few-layer crystalline
Mn­(OH)2 cores encapsulated by amorphous Te–O shells.
Magnetic measurements show antiferromagnetic ordering in the restacked
nanosheets. The suspension can be readily deposited onto coated glass,
polyethylene terephthalate, and Si/SiO2 substrates to form
uniform films, with electrical transport measurements indicating resistances
on the order of megaohms at room temperature. These results demonstrate
chemical exfoliation as an effective approach for producing core–shell
nanosheets with magnetic and electronic functionality.