Exotic Physics and Chemistry of Two-Dimensional Phosphorus: Phosphorene

Phosphorene, the monolayer form of black phosphorus, is the most recent addition to graphene-like van der Waals two-dimensional (2D) systems. Due to its several interesting properties, namely its tunable direct band gap, high carrier mobility, and unique in-plane anisotropy, it has emerged as a promising candidate for electronic and optoelectronic devices. Phosphorene (Pn) reveals a much richer phase diagram than graphene, and it comprises the two forms namely the stapler-clip like (black Pn, alpha form) and chairlike (blue Pn, beta form) structures. Regardless of its favorable properties, black Pn suffers from instability in oxygen and water, which limits its successful applications in electronic devices. In this Perspective, the cause of structural diversity of Pn, which leads to different properties of both black and blue Pn, is discussed. We provide possible solutions for protecting phosphorene from chemical degradation and its applications in the field of energy storage namely for Li and Na ion batteries.