A single elemental hybrid composed of black phosphorus (BP) and red phosphorus (RP) is synthesized via a feasible sonochemical method. BP and RP can construct a new single elemental heterostructure. This kind of structure with an excellent interfacial contact between BP and RP would be beneficial to electron transfer and exhibits a superior electrochemical performance. Compared with the sole RP, the as-prepared BP/RP hybrid exhibits enhanced electrochemical performances as an electrode material for both lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. For lithium-ion battery applications, the BP/RP hybrid provides a high cycling performance with an initial discharge capacity of 2449 mA h g⁻¹ and a reversible capacity of 491 mA h g⁻¹ after 100 cycles. For supercapacitor applications, the specific capacitance of the BP/RP hybrid achieves a high value up to about 60.1 F g⁻¹ and a long cycling life with a capacity retention of 83.3% after 2000 cycles. The present study demonstrates that the BP/RP hybrid has potential for application as an electrode with high performances in electrochemical energy-storage devices.

A convenient hydrothermal intercalation/exfoliation method for large-scale manufacturing of bismuth telluride (Bi₂Te₃) nanosheets is reported here. Lithium cations can be intercalated between the layers of Bi₂Te₃ using the reducing power of ethylene glycol in the common hydrothermal process, and high quality Bi₂Te₃ nanosheets with thickness down to only 3–4 nm are obtained by removing lithium in the following exfoliating process. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectrum characterizations confirm that the high yield of Bi₂Te₃ nanosheets with good quality were successfully achieved and the sizes of the immense nanosheets reached 200 nm width and 1 μm length. This hydrothermal intercalation/exfoliation method is general, as it has been extended to other layered materials, such as Bi₂Se₃ and MoS₂. Our results suggest a simple route for the large-scale production of thin and flat Bi₂Te₃ nanosheets, which may be beneficial to further electronic and spintronics applications.