Single-molecule water dynamics on h‑BN and graphene interfaces

Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, is renowned for its electrical conductivity and mechanical strength, making it central to future nanoelectronic and surface-engineering technologies. Its structural analogue, h‑BN – sometimes referred to as “white graphite” – shares graphene’s honeycomb geometry but incorporates polar boron–nitrogen bonds, imparting it with insulating and chemically distinct properties. This polarity introduces a fundamentally different landscape for water adsorption, diffusion, and friction. Using helium spin-echo spectroscopy (HeSE) and ab initio simulations, the researchers directly tracked the single-molecule motion of water on epitaxial graphene and h‑BN surfaces supported by nickel.

Researchers from Graz University of Technology and the University of Surrey have examined how subtle atomic-level differences between graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (h‑BN) affect the behavior of water on their surfaces. Understanding such water interactions with two-dimensional (2D) materials is essential for advancing applications in sensing, microfluidics, energy storage, and tribology.Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, is renowned for its electrical conductivity and mechanical strength, making it central to future nanoelectronic and surface-engineering technologies. Its structural analogue, h‑BN – sometimes referred to as “white graphite” – shares graphene’s honeycomb geometry but incorporates polar boron–nitrogen bonds, imparting it with insulating and chemically distinct properties. This polarity introduces a fundamentally different landscape for water adsorption, diffusion, and friction. Using helium spin-echo spectroscopy (HeSE) and ab initio simulations, the researchers directly tracked the single-molecule motion of water on epitaxial graphene and h‑BN surfaces supported by nickel.

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