Direct synthesis of defective ultrathin brookite-phase TiO 2 nanosheets showing flexible electronic band states

We report a one-pot protocol to prepare ultrathin nanosheets of brookite-phase TiO through hydrolyzing TiCl in formamide. This 2D titania is defective and shows flexible electronic states and enhanced surface reactivity, which is probed by H O adsorption, catalytic TMB oxidation, and X-ray absorption fine structure. The nanosheets provide a new 2D platform to exploit the applications of TiO in catalysis, energy conversion and storage.