The discovery of graphene stimulated the intense search for possibilities of
other 2D analogs of it. These investigations resulted in many wonder materials,
especially from elements of the 14th group of the periodic table. One of the most
celebrated 2D structures of the 14th group after graphene is a germanium-based 2D
structure known as germanene. Like graphene, germanene is also a single-atom-thick
2D structure. There are several similarities in the structures and properties of graphene
and germanene; however, they are distinct in several other properties due to the
difference in atomic size, effective nuclear charge, and band structures. One of the most
defining phenomena in the structures of graphene and germanene is the buckled
structure of the germanene derivative. The buckled structure allows unique orbital
mixing and changes the hybridization mode among combining germanium atoms. On
the one hand, carbon atoms in graphene exhibit a planer geometry with mesmerizing
consistency of the sp2
-hybridized orbitals. On the other hand, germanium atoms tend to
exhibit mixed sp2
and sp3
hybridizations. Germanene has gained more popularity due to
ease in manipulating its band structure with possibilities to revamp the existing
electronics. In addition, mixed hybridization offers the remarkable potential to use this
material in various energy and catalytic applications. This chapter deals with various
aspects of its chemistry and properties ranging from different methods of synthesis of
germanene and its functionalized derivatives, band gap manipulation in these
structures, and catalytic applications.
Keywords: Band structure, Catalytic, Germanene, Germanane, 2D materials.
