Phosphorene (few-layer black phosphorus) has been widely investigated for its unique optical and electronic properties. However, it is challenging to synthesize and process stable phosphorene as it degrades rapidly upon exposure to oxygen and moisture under ambient conditions, which has limited its use in practical applications. Herein, we propose an alkali-assisted stabilization process to produce high-quality phosphorene nanosheets. Our morphology measurements show that alkali-treated phosphorene remains stable for over 7 days in air. Electrical measurements on alkali-treated BP devices further proved its stable electrical property under ambient conditions. We further demonstrate superior light-assisted electrochemical water splitting performance using stable phosphorene. We attribute the stabilization effect to the chemical modification of the surface of phosphorene with P-OH bond formation. This study paves the avenue for the implementation of phosphorene devices in ambient conditions.
Keywords: Phosphorene; chemical stability; electrochemical water splitting; liquid exfoliation.