Hydrophobic inorganic-organic composite nanosheets based on monolayers of transition metal oxides

Hydrophobic inorganic-organic composite nanosheets based on manganese and titanium oxide monolayers were obtained in a nonpolar organic medium. In general, monolayered materials of transition metal oxides were prepared and dispersed in aqueous and polar organic media. Here we report on a simple and generalizable approach for syntheses of the hydrophobic composite nanosheets consisting of the transition metal-oxide monolayers and the surface hydrophobic organic layers. The composite nanosheets were dispersed in a nonpolar organic medium. The resultant composite nanosheets based on the manganese oxide show the improved catalytic activity for oxidation of an alcohol in toluene. The large blueshift of the bandgap energy was observed on the composite nanosheets based on the titanium oxide. The present approach can be applied to syntheses of hydrophobic composite nanosheets from a variety of layered compounds. The hydrophobic composite nanosheets have potentials for a wide range of applications based on the composite structures.