Summary:
UCLA researchers have developed a novel hybrid 2D material platform that significantly improves the utility and optical performance of monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) by integrating a Nafion interlayer.
Background:
Monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), particularly MoS2, have shown promise in the fields of optics and electronics due to their direct bandgap and excitonic features. These properties make them highly attractive for applications such as photodetectors, light-emitting devices, and nonlinear optical systems. However, despite their compelling theoretical potential, practical deployment of monolayer TMDs remains limited by several critical challenges: poor optical quality stemming from defects and nonradiative recombination, limited solution-processibility, environmental instability, and mechanical rigidity. These challenges limit the applicability of monolayer TMDs in areas such as flexible photonics, bioelectronics, and optical sensors – areas that demand robust, processable, and tunable materials. To address these limitations, a novel material system is needed—one that enhances optical quality and reduces fabrication costs, all while supporting scalability and flexibility.
Innovation:
Researchers at UCLA have developed a novel material platform consisting of monolayer MoS2 integrated with a multifunctional Nafion interlayer. This hybrid system not only enhances the intrinsic optical properties of MoS2 but also introduces critical mechanical and environmental stability advantages. This cost-effective, high-performance optical 2D material exhibits over 100-fold brighter excitonic photoluminescence and nearly 1,000-fold stronger second harmonic generation compared to traditional pristine monolayer MoS2. These dramatic optical improvements are attributed to reduced nonradiative losses and enhanced nonlinear susceptibility facilitated by the Nafion environment. Additionally, the solution-processibility of this MoS2/Nafion material enables large-scale, room-temperature processing on flexible surfaces, which is currently not feasible with traditional monolayer MoS2. The Nafion interlayer provides stability by limiting diffusion, while also providing mechanical reinforcement, allowing the material to withstand tensile strains ten times that of pristine MoS2. The intrinsic high proton conductivity of Nafion enables dual electron–proton transport, expanding the material’s utility in emerging fields such as bioelectronics, electrochemical sensing, light-emitting devices, nonlinear optics, and optical sensors. In summary, this MoS2/Nafion hybrid system represents a transformative advance in the development of optoelectronic materials, addressing long-standing bottlenecks in the deployment of 2D semiconductors. By combining exceptional optical performance with mechanical flexibility, stability, and scalable processibility, it establishes a robust and versatile platform for next-generation technologies across photonics, sensing, and bioelectronics.
Potential Applications:
● Optoelectronics/Photonics
○ Flexible LEDs/Lasers
○ Flexible nonlinear optics (frequency conversion)
○ Integrated photonic circuits
○ Optical modulators
● Sensing and Bioelectronics
○ Electrochemical sensors
○ Bioelectronic interfaces
○ In situ diagnostics via pH/proton sensors
● Flexible and wearable technologies
Advantages:
● Enhanced optical performance
● Material processability
● Scalability and cost
● Flexibility
● Mechanical and structural stability
● Enhanced electrical and ionic functionality
Development-To-Date:
First successful demonstration of the invention completed.
Related Papers:
[1] Zhou, B.; Kang, J. H.; Hu, B.; Zhou, J.; Ren, H.; Zhou, J.; Zhang, D.; Zhang, A.; Zheng, S.; Wong, C. W.; Huang, Y.; Duan, X., Giant second harmonic generation in bulk monolayer MoS2 thin films. Matter 2024, 7, 2448-2459. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2024.04.043
[2] Zhou, B.; Zhou, J.; Wang, L.; Kang, J. H.; Zhang, A.; Zhou, J.; Zhang, D.; Xu, D.; Hu, B.; Deng, S.; Huang, L.; Wong, C. W.; Huang, Y.; Duan, X., A chemical-dedoping strategy to tailor electron density in molecular-intercalated bulk monolayer MoS2. Nature Synthesis 2024, 3, 67-75. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44160-023-00396-2
Reference:
UCLA Case No. 2025-281
Lead Inventors:
Xiangfeng Duan, Yu Huang