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The polymorphism of phosphorus-based materials has garnered much research interest, and the variable chemical bonding structures give rise to a variety of micro and nanostructures. Among the different types of materials containing phosphorus, elemental phosphorus materials (EPMs) constitute the foundation for the synthesis of related compounds. EPMs are experiencing a renaissance in the post-graphene era, thanks to recent advancements in the scaling-down of black phosphorus, amorphous red phosphorus, violet phosphorus, and fibrous phosphorus and consequently, diverse classes of low-dimensional sheets, ribbons, and dots of EPMs with intriguing properties have been produced. The nanostructured EPMs featuring tunable bandgaps, moderate carrier mobility, and excellent optical absorption have shown great potential in energy conversion, energy storage, and environmental remediation. It is thus important to have a good understanding of the differences and interrelationships among diverse EPMs, their intrinsic physical and chemical properties, the synthesis of specific structures, and the selection of suitable nanostructures of EPMs for particular applications. In this comprehensive review, we aim to provide an in-depth analysis and discussion of the fundamental physicochemical properties, synthesis, and applications of EPMs in the areas of energy conversion, energy storage, and environmental remediation. Our evaluations are based on recent literature on well-established phosphorus allotropes and theoretical predictions of new EPMs. The objective of this review is to enhance our comprehension of the characteristics of EPMs, keep abreast of recent advances, and provide guidance for future research of EPMs in the fields of chemistry and materials science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel human infectious coronaviruses (CoVs) responsible for severe respiratory syndromes have raised concerns owing to the global public health emergencies they have caused repeatedly over the past two decades. However, the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has received unprecedented attention internationally. Monitoring pathogenic CoVs in environmental compartments has been proposed as a promising strategy in preventing the environmental spread and tracing of infectious diseases, but a lack of reliable and efficient detection techniques is still a significant challenge. Moreover, the lack of information regarding the monitoring methodology may pose a barrier to primary researchers. Here, we provide a systematic introduction focused on the detection of CoVs in various environmental matrices, comprehensively involving methods and techniques of sampling, pretreatment, and analysis. Furthermore, the review addresses the challenges and potential improvements in virus detection techniques for environmental surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scalable synthesis of few-layered phosphorene typically relies on liquid ultrasonic/shear exfoliation but this technique suffers from drawbacks such as the long processing time, small sheet size, and poor quality. Herein, a simple and efficient plasma–liquid technique for rapid (∼5 minutes) and scalable production of few-layered high-quality phosphorene has been described. The plasma-exfoliated phosphorene has a tunable thickness less than 10 nanometers and a large size over a micrometer, enabling the fabrication of a macroscopic photodetection device with good photo-response. This plasma-exfoliation method has large potential in the development of phosphorene-related technologies as well as mass production of two-dimensional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a novel metal-corrosion route beyond traditional top-down or bottom-up strategies for the mass production of 2D TMOs with a self-supported structure. The self-supported 2D Co3O4, a typical TMO, exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity and stability in the oxygen evolution reaction surpassing those of commercial precious metal RuO2 catalysts at high currents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black phosphorus quantum dots are incorporated into liposomal bilayers to produce a drug delivery system with excellent near-infrared (NIR) photothermal properties and drug release capability controlled by light. In vitro experiments demonstrate its good biocompatibility and NIR-light-induced chemo-photothermal antitumor efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This communication describes a novel low-dimensional nanohybrid structure consisting of all-inorganic perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) growing in situ on two-dimensional (2D) black phosphorus (BP) nanosheets. Such a nanohybrid structure promises synergetic properties by combining the respective strengths of perovskite materials and BP, which opens new opportunities for next-generation optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterial-based photothermal therapy using near-infrared (NIR) light is a promising strategy for cancer treatment. However, delivery of nano-agents to specific tumor sites poses a great challenge, especially in the tumor hypoxia regions, where the hypoxia-associated drug delivery barriers prevent the effective intratumoral distribution of nanomaterials. In this respect, tumor-tropic cells including macrophages, monocytes, neural stem cells (NSCs), and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been proposed as “Trojan Horse” delivery vehicles to transport various nano-agents to overcome the drug delivery barriers, increase the tumor targeting ability of nano-agents, and enhance the efficiency of photothermal therapy. In this review, we summarize recent research activities and emerging trends in this field, describe the advantages of combining cellular therapies and nanotechnology to achieve more effective cancer treatment, and discuss the clinical prospects of photothermal therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-layer black phosphorus nanosheets (BPs) with different sizes are synthesized by using a basic solvent exfoliation method in association with controlled gradient centrifugation. Size-dependent nonlinear saturable absorption and Kerr nonlinearity as well as ultrafast carrier dynamics of BPs is systematically studied by using a Z-scan and pump–probe technique. Furthermore, an ultrashort pulse with a pulse duration of about 635 fs centered at a wavelength of 1562 nm is generated by using smaller sized BPs as a saturable absorber. These results directly reveal the physical processes of size-dependent nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of BPs and provide researchers with a viable approach in tailoring the NLO response of BPs through controlling the sizes, paving the way towards BP based electronics and optoelectronics applications such as ultrafast optical switches, modulators, fiber lasers, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scalable synthesis of few-layered phosphorene typically relies on liquid ultrasonic/shear exfoliation but this technique suffers from drawbacks such as the long processing time, small sheet size, and poor quality. Herein, a simple and efficient plasma-liquid technique for rapid (∼5 minutes) and scalable production of few-layered high-quality phosphorene has been described. The plasma-exfoliated phosphorene has a tunable thickness less than 10 nanometers and a large size over a micrometer, enabling the fabrication of a macroscopic photodetection device with good photo-response. This plasma-exfoliation method has large potential in the development of phosphorene-related technologies as well as mass production of two-dimensional materials.