Chemically exfoliated nanosheets of beta-Bi2O3

Exploring two dimensional (2D) materials is important for further developing the field of quantum materials. However, progress in 2D material development is limited by difficulties with their production. Specifically, freestanding 2D materials with bulk non-layered structures remain particularly challenging to prepare. Traditionally, chemical or mechanical exfoliation is employed for obtaining freestanding 2D materials, but these methods typically require layered starting materials. Here we put forth a method for obtaining thin layers of beta-Bi2O3, which has a three-dimensional covalent structure, by using chemical exfoliation. In this research, Na3Ni2BiO6 was exfoliated with acid and water to obtain beta-Bi2O3 nanosheets less than 10 nm in height and over 1 mu m in lateral size. Our results open the possibility for further exploring beta-Bi2O3 nanosheets to determine whether their properties change from the bulk to the nanoscale. Furthermore, this research may facilitate further progress in obtaining nanosheets of non-layered bulk materials using chemical exfoliation.