Exploring the use of Earth-Abundant Layered Materials in 2D-Based Studies: From Natural Mines to Van der Waals Applications

Phyllosilicates minerals are an emerging class of naturally occurring layered insulators with large bandgap energy that have gained considerable attention from the scientific community. This class of materials has been explored recently at the ultrathin two-dimensional level due to their specific mechanical and optoelectronic properties, which are crucial for engineering novel devices. Phyllosilicates have lamellar structures and can be embedded into van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) due to the possibility of exfoliation down to monolayers and easy handling. Here, we will present a high throughput characterization of some naturally occurring layered phyllosilicates by employing several experimental techniques, first-principles calculations, and will demonstrate that these layered materials can be mechanically exfoliated down to their monolayer limit and combined in the different vdWHs[1-5]. Due to these properties, phyllosilicates minerals can be considered as promising low-cost nanomaterials for electronics, photonics, and optoelectronics future 2D-based device applications. We will also present features of these nanomaterials that are relevant to their use in potential 2D-based applications, discussing the major challenges in working with them. Consequently, our results establish the basis of further studies tunning phyllosilicates properties to desired studies. Therefore, we expect our work to stimulate further exploration of layered phyllosilicate materials and provide the foundation for novel nanotechnological applications.<br/><br/><br/>Acknowledgments:<br/>Fundo Mackenzie de Pesquisa e Inovação (No. 221017), FAPEMIG, CAPES, CNPq, and FAPESP (No. 2020/04374-6).<br/>References:<br/>[1] Barcelos I D, et. al., <i>J. Appl. </i><i>Phys</i>. Accepted (2023)<br/>[2] de Oliveira R, et. al.,<i> J. Opt. Soc. Am. A </i>40, 153959 (2023)<br/>[3] Cadore A R, et. al., <i>2D Mater. </i>9, 035007 (2022)<br/>[4] Longuinhos R*, Cadore A R*, et. al., J. Phys. Chem. C, 127, 5876 (2023)<br/>[5] de Oliveira R, et. al., Appl. Surf. Sci. 599, 153959 (2022)