A bottom-up strategy for exfoliation-free synthesis of soluble α-Ni(OH)2 monolayer nanosheets on a large scale

Usually, monolayer-stated nanosheets of hydroxides have to be prepared by a multiple step layer-exfoliation processe, following “bottom-up” mechanism. The related preparative procedure is quite exhaustive and low yielding. In this work, α-Ni(OH)2 monolayer nanosheets were successfully synthesized in pure ethanol solution with a high yield using NaOH as a precipitant, based on a facile one-step “bottom-up” strategy. It was proposed that the water-deficient environment in ethanol solution could not provide adequate water molecules for the formation of hydrogen bond to link the layers, resulting in monolayer formation. Due to the large interface between the monolayer and electrolyte, the obtained monolayer nanosheets presented high electrochemical performance.