Synthesis and Properties of Low-Dimensional Materials

Nanotechnology has provided materials with exceptional potential in many fields. Through this technology, low-dimensional materials such as nanoparticles (0D), nanorods (1D), and hexagonal boron nitride (2D) are fabricated; their dimensions (D), sizes, and shapes are controlled at the nanoscale during synthesis to suit their areas of application. Both the bottom–up and top–down approaches are used in the formulation of low-dimensional materials. These materials have large surface area to volume ratios, thus increasing their surface properties. Their distinct chemical and physical properties, such as zero band gap, high electron mobility, high absorption coefficient, high refractive index, mechanical robustness, thermal stability, and chemical inertness, have aided in the production of solar energy harvesting devices, optical modulators, and photodetectors. In addition, the high-energy sites on nanomaterial surfaces can be altered to enhance their molecular absorption properties for electrocatalytic applications. This chapter seeks to provide recent discoveries in materials science, notably low-dimensional nanomaterials, highlight their unique properties that can be exploited by scientists and engineers, and discuss the various techniques employed at industrial levels for their synthesis.