The intercalation of 1,10-phenanthroline into layered NiPS3 via iron dopant seeding

Using 2% percent of iron dopants as reaction active sites yields a series of single crystals of 1,10-phenanthroline intercalated NiPS3, via solution reaction with aniline chloride, not possible by direct reaction. Experimental magnetic susceptibility measurements demonstrate that 1,10-phenanthroline intercalation suppresses the anti-ferromagnetism ordering at around 150 K in Fe0.02Ni0.98PS3, and gives rise to a ferrimagnetic phase transition at the temperature around 75 K. A intercalation mechanism is proposed for the reaction, and this dopant seeding method provides a new approach for intercalation into layered materials.