Black Phosphorus/Polymers: Status and Challenges

As a newly emerged mono-elemental nanomaterial, black phosphorus (BP) has been widely investigated for its fascinating physical properties, including layer-dependent tunable band gap (0.3-1.5 eV), high ON/OFF ratio (10(4)), high carrier mobility (10(3) cm(2) V-1 s(-1)), excellent mechanical resistance, as well as special in-plane anisotropic optical, thermal, and vibrational characteristics. However, the instability caused by chemical degradation of its surface has posed a severe challenge for its further applications. A focused BP/polymer strategy has more recently been developed and implemented to hurdle this issue, so at present BP/polymers have been developed that exhibit enhanced stability, as well as outstanding optical, thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties. This has promoted researchers to further explore the potential applications of black phosphorous. In this review, the preparation processes and the key properties of BP/polymers are reviewed, followed by a detailed account of their diversified applications, including areas like optoelectronics, bio-medicine, and energy storage. Finally, in accordance with the current progress, the prospective challenges and future directions are highlighted and discussed.

Automated summary

The article discusses the research progress of black phosphorus in the field of new materials, focusing on the preparation process, properties, and applications of BP/polymers. Studies have shown that through the BP/polymer strategy, the stability and performance of black phosphorus can be improved, providing new ideas for its applications in areas such as optoelectronics, bio-medicine, and energy storage.