Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and graphene have attracted extensive interest as emergent materials, owing to their excellent properties that favor their future use in electronic devices, catalysis, optics, and biological- or energy-relevant areas. However, 2D nanosheets tend to easily restack and condense, which weakens their performance in many of these applications. Assembling these 2D nanosheets as building blocks for three-dimensional (3D) architectures not only maintains the intrinsic performances of the 2D nanostructures but also synergistically makes use of the advantages of the 3D microstructures to improve the overall material properties. In this critical review, we will highlight recent developments of sundry 2D nanosheet-assembled 3D architectures, including their design, synthesis, and potential applications. Their controllable syntheses, novel structures, and potential applications will be systematically explained, analyzed, and summarized. In the end, we will offer some perspective on the challenges facing future advancement of this field.