How to Use Defects in 2D Materials to Probe the Bio-World

Extensive research efforts have been dedicated to the field of two-dimensional (2D) materials in a short period of time. From semi-metallic graphene, to semiconducting MoS₂, to insulating hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), 2D materials provide a wide range of physicochemical properties that can be engineered for diverse applications. Recently, defect engineering has emerged as a primary approach to tailor the physiochemical properties and further extend the functionalities of 2D materials. Comprehensive understanding between the atomic-scale defects and the effects on the physio-chemical properties is challenging and essential for the materials community to design multi-functional 2D materials. It is also equally important to develop scalable approaches to control and tailor the defect types and concentration. With the urgency, I have dedicated in defect engineering in 2D materials: 1) Developed universal approaches to introduce defects in 2D materials; 2) Utilized the atomic-scale defects to activate the basal plane reactivities of 2D materials, and proposed a multi-scale strategy to understand the correlation between the reactivities and the atomic-scale defects; 3) Explored the application of defects in 2D materials for single molecule sensing and DNA cleavage. Overall, the work aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the synthesis, characterization, properties, and application of 2D materials' defects in the context of bio-applications.