Room-temperature ceramic nanocoating using nanosheet deposition technique

We present a novel procedure for ceramic nanocoating using oxide nanosheet as a building block. A variety of oxide nanosheets (such as Ti _1-δO₂, MnO₂ and perovsites) were synthesized by delaminating appropriate layered precursors into their molecular single sheets. These nanosheets are exceptionally rich in both structural diversity and electronic properties, with potential applications including conductors, semiconductors, insulators, and ferromagnets. Another attractive aspect is that nanosheets can be organized into various nanoarchitectures by applying solution-based synthetic techniques involving electrostatic layer-by-layer assembly and Langmuir-Blodgett deposition. It is even possible to tailor superlattice assemblies, incorporating into the nanosheet galleries with a wide range of materials such as organic molecules, polymers, and inorganic/metal nanoparticles. Sophisticated functionalities or paper-like devices can be designed through the selection of nanosheets and combining materials, and precise control over their arrangement at the molecular scale.