ABSTRACT
Single-layer materials have recently received enormous attention owing to their two-dimensional (2D) character leading to peculiar physical and chemical properties very different from or even missing in their three-dimensional counterparts. The most famous one—graphene—triggered a quest for other truly 2D materials. From purely a geometrical point of view, the silicate layer discussed in the previous chapters may be viewed as graphene composed of SiO4 entities instead of the C atoms. Even the defect structures in silicate layers bear close similarities to those observed on graphene. Inspired by potential applications of single-layer materials in nanotechnologies, one might even think about combining graphene and silicatene, for example, in sandwich-like structures which could potentially result in interesting, yet unknown functional properties of such composites.
