Two-dimensional (2D) composite materials have gained much interest, and their synthesis and characterization
have been intensively investigated to fully exploit the new functionalities and realize their
potential applications. Among the various approaches to prepare heterostructures based on 2D materials,
the process of self-organization between different materials is widely employed to obtain a wide range of
ordered heterostructures. In this review article, we introduce notable achievements in the domain of selforganized
growth of nanostructures on 2D materials. Various examples and synthetic approaches for the
self-organized growth of organic molecules, inorganic nanomaterials, and 2D materials, which result in
the formation of different types of heterostructures, have been discussed. We especially focus on the
self-aligned growth of nanostructures on 2D materials, governed by the van der Waals interaction
between the grown nanostructures and 2D substrates. The assembly of various nanostructures on the
2D moiré periodic potential is also highlighted. Finally, we remark the representative applications of
the self-organized growth behaviors such as advanced nanofabrication and the mapping of crystal
domains of 2D materials.
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