NOVELTY - A process (P1) for exfoliating a 3-dimenisonal layered material to produce a 2-dimensional material for use in an electronic device, involves: mixing the layered material in a water-surfactant solution to provide a mixture; applying energy e.g. ultrasound, to the mixture; and applying a force e.g. a centrifugal force, to the mixture.    USE - For exfoliating a 3-dimenisonal layered material to produce 2-dimensional material useful in an electronic device selected from electrodes, transparent electrodes, capacitors, transistors, solar cells, light emitting diodes, thermoelectric devices, dielectrics, batteries, super-capacitors, nano-transistors, nano-capacitors, nano-light emitting diodes, and nano-solar cells (claimed). Also useful in semiconductor and insulating devices.    ADVANTAGE - The water-based exfoliation process is safe in terms of personal safety, is simple and easy to perform, and is environmentally friendly. The water-based exfoliation process is performed in a matter of minutes, whereas lithium intercalation exfoliation takes days. This is a significant improvement in terms of time and cost savings. The exfoliation using surfactants can be achieved in ambient conditions without the need for a glove box or an inert atmosphere, unlike that of lithium intercalation exfoliation which must be carried out in an inert environment. As a result of the need for an inert environment and the time taken for the process to reach completion, lithium intercalation is difficult to scale-up on an industrial level. The process is based on the use of a water- and surfactant-based exfoliation process, without the need of an inert environment. Thus, the process may be scaled-up to an industrial level, providing a new and significantly improved way to obtain 2-dimensional crystals (flakes) and thin films of transition metals. The production of crystals (flakes) and thin films provide an invaluable source of metallic, semiconducting, or insulating material for use in the preparation of electronic and nano-electronic devices.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a device utilizing a mixture of transition metal dichalcogenides in the water-surfactant solution, produced using the process (P1).