Methods for purifying reaction precursors used in the synthesis of inorganic compounds and methods for synthesizing inorganic compounds from the purified precursors are provided. Also provided are methods for purifying the inorganic compounds and methods for crystallizing the inorganic compounds from a melt. γ and X-ray detectors incorporating the crystals of the inorganic compounds are also provided.

Described are Zn.sub.xCd.sub.1-xS.sub.ySe.sub.1-y/ZnS.sub.zSe.sub.1-z core/shell nanocrystals, CdTe/CdS/ZnS core/shell/shell nanocrystals, optionally doped Zn(S,Se,Te) nano- and quantum wires, and SnS quantum sheets or ribbons, methods for making the same, and their use in biomedical and photonic applications, such as sensors for analytes in cells and preparation of field effect transistors.

A method for making a transition metal dichalcogenide crystal having a chemical formula represented as MX.sub.2 is provided, wherein M represents a central transition metal element, and X represents a chalcogen element. The method includes providing a MX.sub.2 polycrystalline powder, a MX.sub.2 seed crystal, and a transport medium. The MX.sub.2 polycrystalline powder and the transport medium are placed in a first reaction chamber. The first reaction chamber and the MX.sub.2 seed crystal are placed in a second reaction chamber having a source end and a deposition end opposite to the source end. The first reaction chamber is placed at the source end, and the MX.sub.2 seed crystal is placed at the deposition end.

The present embodiments relate to a method for manufacturing a two-dimensional material using a top-down method, the method includes the steps of preparing a bulk crystal, forming a metal layer on the bulk crystal, and then attaching a thermal release tape on the metal layer, exfoliating a two-dimensional material to which the metal layer and the thermal release tape have been attached from the bulk crystal, transferring the two-dimensional material to which the metal layer and the thermal release tape have been attached onto a substrate, and removing the thermal release tape and the metal layer from the substrate onto which the two-dimensional material has been transferred.

Methods of forming transition metal dichalcogenide aerogels are provided. Some methods include adding at least one solvent to one or more two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide sheets to form a transition metal dichalcogenide solution and freeze drying the transition metal dichalcogenide solution to form frozen transition metal dichalcogenide. The methods also include heating the frozen transition metal dichalcogenide to form a transition metal dichalcogenide aerogel.

A radical anion based functionalization of two-dimensional (2D) layered materials is proposed. The covalent functionalization of the basal plane of 2D materials with charge neutral radicals is typically unstable to reduction, leading to detachment of the functional groups from the basal plane upon reduction. This instability hinders the use of functionalized 2D materials as rechargeable electroactive species, unless the functional groups are bound to the edges of the 2D material. However, to achieve high capacity without the creation of many edges and defects, a stable functionalization of the basal plane in the reduced state is required. This goal can be achieved by radical anion functionalization, whereby the reduced/discharged state of the basal-plane-functionalized 2D material is produced. The product of the radical anion functionalization can be used as the discharged state of a cathode active material, solid electrolyte or part of a polymer composite.

The present invention provides a semiconductor crystal comprising a semiconductor material having a tuned band gap energy, and methods for preparation thereof. More particularly, the invention provides a semiconductor crystal comprising a semiconductor material and amino acid molecules, peptides, or a combination thereof, incorporated within the crystal lattice, wherein the amino acid molecules, peptides, or combination thereof tune the band gap energy of the semiconductor material.

A technique for exfoliating a transition metal dichalcogenide material to produce separated nano-scale platelets includes combining the transition metal dichalcogenide material with a liquid to form a slurry, wherein the transition metal dichalcogenide material includes layers of nano-scale platelets and has a general chemical formula MX.sub.2, and wherein M is a transition metal and X is sulfur, selenium, or tellurium. The slurry of the transition metal dichalcogenide material is treated with an oxidant to form peroxo-metalate intermediates on an edge region of the layers of nano-scale platelets of the transition metal dichalcogenide material. The peroxo-metalate intermediates is treated with a reducing agent to form negatively charged poly-oxo-metalates to induce separation of the transition metal dichalcogenide material into the separated nano-scale platelets of the transition metal dichalcogenide material.

A quantum nanomaterial having a bandgap that may be tuned to enable the quantum nanomaterial to detect IR radiation in selected regions including throughout the MWIR region and into the LWIR region is provided. The quantum nanomaterials may include tin telluride (SnTe) nanomaterials and/or lead tin telluride (Pb.sub.xSn.sub.1-xTe) nanomaterials. Additionally, a method of manufacturing nanomaterial that is tunable for detecting IR radiation in selected regions, such as throughout the MWIR region and into the LWIR region, is also provided.

The invention is directed to a method for producing non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles, the method comprising: (a) subjecting a combination of reaction components to conditions conducive to microbially-mediated formation of non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles, wherein said combination of reaction components comprises i) anaerobic microbes, ii) a culture medium suitable for sustaining said anaerobic microbes, iii) a metal component comprising at least one type of metal ion, iv) a non-metal component comprising at least one non-metal selected from the group consisting of S, Se, Te, and As, and v) one or more electron donors that provide donatable electrons to said anaerobic microbes during consumption of the electron donor by said anaerobic microbes; and (b) isolating said non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles, which contain at least one of said metal ions and at least one of said non-metals. The invention is also directed to non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticle compositions produced as above and having distinctive properties.