Since the early 21st century, the development of ultra-thin two-dimensional materials has introduced a new direction to human scientific understanding, thanks to their unique two-dimensional physical structures, exceptionally high surface-area-to-volume ratios, lightweight, high strength, and distinctive properties such as two-dimensional quantum confinement. In the field of photocatalysis, these materials have shown remarkable potential. Despite the substantial body of knowledge that has accumulated about 2D semiconductor photocatalysts to date, significant challenges remain in achieving widespread application of 2D semiconductor-based photocatalysis, including cost efficiency, degradation, charge transfer dynamics, and recyclability. Currently, most photocatalysts still require rare or expensive noble metals to enhance photocatalytic activity, significantly limiting their commercial-scale application. Moreover, the utilization of the exceptional surface-area-to-volume ratio of two-dimensional materials is often constrained by the use of dangling bonds at the edges of 2D materials or complex surface modifications, making it difficult to leverage the advantages of 2D materials over other substances.
Therefore, developing and creating novel structured two-dimensional material photocatalytic devices to achieve industrial-scale, low-cost, and high-efficiency conversion of solar energy poses a major challenge. In our research, we have successfully grown heterostructure thin films of single-layer two-dimensional material nanoribbons with alternating orientations through chemical vapor deposition, effectively leveraging the extremely high surface-area-to-volume ratio of two-dimensional materials for photocatalysis. Additionally, we achieved horizontally continuous alternating nanoribbons with each ribbon approximately 100 nm in width, greatly enhancing catalytic efficiency by maximizing the area of the depletion zone in the p-n junctions. The use of chemical vapor deposition for the practical fabrication of these materials could greatly facilitate the large-scale industrial production of 2D material-based photocatalytic materials.
