Highly concentrated dispersion of methyl-terminated germanane by liquid exfoliation

We have found that methyl-terminated layered germanane (GeCH3) is well dispersed in halogenated solvents by liquid exfoliation, which stands stably for more than half a year. GeCH3 dispersions and their cast films were characterized using electron microscopy and optical spectroscopies, which revealed the exfoliation of GeCH3 into a few tens of layers with lateral dimensions of a few hundred nanometers and a thickness of a few tens of nanometers. The resulting dispersion of GeCH3 by liquid exfoliation opens up a potential route to fabricate thin-film devices by a solution process. (C) 2019 The Japan Society of Applied Physics