Microemulsion-mediated synthesis of graphdiyne with hollow nanosphere and nanoflower architecture

The precise synthesis of graphdiyne (GDY) with controlled nano-architecture is of great importance for unlocking their full functional potential, yet it remains a formidable challenge due to uncontrolled cross-coupling and poor morphology uniformity. Herein, we present a microemulsion-mediated method to synthesize GDY hollow nanospheres (GDY-HNSs) and nanoflowers (GDY-NFs). The microemulsion is used as a micro-reactor for confined growth. By precisely modulating the monomer concentration inside the microemulsion, GDY-HNSs with controllable shell thickness could be accurately tailored, offering a novel pathway for synthesizing ultrathin few-layered GDY nanostructures. By adjusting the stirring rate during synthesis, the precipitation kinetics of GDY within the microspheres can be regulated, hereby GDY NFs with ultrahigh surface area and tunable dimensions are obtained. Those three-dimensional nanoarchitecture of the GDY provides abundant binding and active sites, endowing them with promising potential for applications in catalysis, water purification, and energy storage.