Two-Dimensional Metal-Phosphorus Network

Two-dimensional (2D) non-covalent and covalent networks are interesting because their tailorable architectures offer fresh applications in sensing, catalysis, gas storage, and topological structures. So far, rational design of these networks has been explored exclusively involving organic molecules based on the concept of modular assembly. Here, we demonstrate that, by using molecular-beam epitaxy, we can isolate inorganic blocks to form a 2D porous gold-phosphorus network (AuPhoN), wherein blue phosphorene (blueP) subunits are linked by gold atoms on an Au surface. We provide evidence that such metal-phosphorus networks are tunable in their chemical functionalities and electronic properties by simply altering the linkers and subunits. Our work provides insights to tailor low-dimension architectures of inorganic networks that maintain good long-range order and are stable over a wide temperature range. Porous organic networks are interesting because their tailorable architectures offer fresh applications in sensing, catalysis, gas storage, and topological phenomena. This remains an unexplored and intriguing area to apply the concept of module assembly derived from porous organic networks to construct two-dimensional (2D) inorganic porous structures, given that inorganic materials can better endure harsher conditions and have more versatile electronic properties compared with organic materials. Here, we demonstrate the growth of a 2D inorganic porous structure of a prototypic metal-phosphorus system—a gold-phosphorus network, wherein blue phosphorene subunits are linked by gold atoms. Evidence shows that such networks are tunable in their chemical functionalities and electronic properties by altering the linkers and subunits. Opportunities for using well-established inorganic materials toward designing 2D porous networks with targeted properties are highlighted. Linking blue phosphorene subunits with gold atoms, we grow two-dimensional metal-phosphorus network with good long-range order and better endurance at elevated temperature by molecular-beam epitaxy. We show the possibility to apply the concept of module assembly derived from organic porous networks to an inorganic system.