Two-dimensional-layered heterojunctions have attracted extensive interest recently due to their exciting behaviours in electronic/optoelectronic devices as well as solar energy conversion systems. However, layered heterojunction materials, especially those made by stacking different monolayers together by strong chemical bonds rather than by weak van der Waal interactions, are still challenging to fabricate. Here the monolayer Bi2WO6 with a sandwich substructure of [BiO]⁺-[WO₄]^2--[BiO]⁺ is reported. This material may be characterized as a layered heterojunction with different monolayer oxides held together by chemical bonds. Coordinatively unsaturated Bi atoms are present as active sites on the surface. On irradiation, holes are generated directly on the active surface layer and electrons in the middle layer, which leads to the outstanding performances of the monolayer material in solar energy conversion. Our work provides a general bottom-up route for designing and preparing novel monolayer materials with ultrafast charge separation and active surface.

Nature Communications 6, Article number: 8340 doi:10.1038/ncomms9340
Received 05 March 2015 Accepted 11 August 2015 Published 11 September 2015

http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2015/150911/ncomms9340/full/ncomms9340.html