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Abstract
Owing to the unique chemistry of low-dimensional layered materials, a variety of inorganic materials have received significant interest with a particular focus on materials containing main group chemical elements, including transition metal chalcogenides, transition metal chalcohalides, and elemental phosphorus. Consequently, research has been focused on the isolation and tunability of these materials in pure, crystalline form, as well the understanding of their inherent properties. In Chapter II, chemical vapor transport (CVT) routes are developed to control the size and growth of crystalline ZrS3, as well as the isolation of Zr0.4Hf0.6S2. Different transport agent may be used to isolate and optimize the growth of metal- and mixed-metal-chalcogenides. In Chapter III, we the synthesis of NbS3 via decomposition of NbS2Cl2 is re-examined. Further, pre-existing reaction conditions are optimized to grow single crystalline NbS3-IV. Additionally, the thermal decomposition behavior of both NbS2Cl2 and NbS2Br2 are studied via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Finally, in Chapter IV, elemental phosphorus and properties associated with its relatively unexplored allotrope, violet phosphorus-21 (VP21) are investigated. Further focus is devoted to the control the growth of violet phosphorus in both bulk and single-crystal form. Additionally, the thermal stability and degradation properties of VP21 are explored through a series of in situ heating experiments.