Conversion of layered materials to ultrathin amorphous nanosheets induced by ball-milling insertion and pure-water exfoliation

Two-dimensional nanostructures have a wide range of applications in various kinds of fields. However, the current exfoliation technology still needs to be improved for large-scale production. Here, a simple, universal two-step strategy, “ball-milling insertion and pure-water exfoliation”, is proposed to produce high quality ultrathin amorphous 2D nanosheets with a thickness of ∼1 nm. Such a method is available not only for a single layered material, but is extendable to its composites. The resulting amorphous multiphase heterostructure nanosheets with multiple interfaces are employed for fabricating multifunctional separators in lithium-sulfur batteries, which show an improved cycling stability at a high current of 1 A g and a high rate capability, due to an interfacial synergetic effect. Besides, the modified separators exhibit enhanced mechanical properties and thermal conductivity.