Hydrothermal Synthesis of Molybdenum Disulfide for Lithium Ion Battery Applications

Molybdenum disulfide nanoflakes were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal process using sodium molybdate and thiourea as reactants at a relatively low temperature. X-ray diffraction(XRD) and transmission elec-tron microscopy(TEM) indicate that the samples have the structure of 2H-MoS2 and the morphology of nanoflakes with the average thickness around 5-10 nm. The results of electrochemical properties indicate that the morphology and size of MoS2 particles have effects on their capacity when they are used as the anode for lithium ion battery. The as-prepared MoS2 samples have high reversible discharge capacity up to 994.6 mA·h·g-1 for the MoS2-1 elec-trode and 930.1 mA·h·g-1 for the MoS2-2 electrode and show excellent cycling performances. The MoS2-1 electrode has a better cycling stability than the MoS2-2 electrode due to their difference in the uniformity of the samples.

Developing polydopamine modified molybdenum disulfide/epoxy resin powder coatings with enhanced anticorrosion performance and wear resistance on magnesium lithium alloys

Epoxy resin powder coating has been successfully applied on the corrosion protection of magnesium lithium alloys.However,poor wear resistance and microcracks formed during the solidification have limited it extensive application.There are limited approaches to exploit such anti-corrosion and mechanical properties of magnesium lithium alloys.Herein,the epoxy resin powder coating with polydopamine modified molybdenum disulfide(MoS_(2)@PDA-EP powder coating with 0,0.1,0.2,0.5,1.0 wt.%loading)was well prepared by melt extrusion to investigate its anticorrosion performance and wear resistance.The results revealed that the addition of MoS_(2)@PDA enhanced the adhesion strength between coatings and alloys,wear resistance and corrosion protection of the powder coatings.Among them,the optimum was obtained by 0.2 wt.%MoS_(2)@PDA-EP powder coating which could be attributed to well dispersion and efficient adhesion with coating matrix.To conclude,MoS_(2)@PDA-EP powder coating is meaningfully beneficial for the anticorrosive and wear performance improvement of magnesium lithium alloys.

Molybdenum disulfide(MoS2)-based electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction:From mechanism to manipulation

Molybdenum disulfide(MoS_(2))-based materials as the non-noble metal catalysts have displayed the potential capability to drive electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)for green hydrogen production along with their intrinsic activity,tunable electronic properties,low cost,and abundance reserves,which have attracted intensive attention as alternatives to the low-abundance and high-cost platinum-based catalysts.However,their insufficient catalytic HER activities and stability are the major challenges for them to become practically applicable.Hereby,the MoS_(2)-based electrocatalysts for HER are comprehensively reviewed to explain the fundamental science behind the manipulations of the crystal structure,microstructure,surface,and interface of MoS_(2) in order to enhance its catalytic performance through changing the electrical conductivity,the number of active sites,surface wettability,and the Gibbs free energy for hydrogen adsorption(ΔGH).Recent studies in surface/interface engineering,such as phase engineering,defect engineering,morphology design,and heterostructure construction,are analyzed to reveal the state-of-the-art strategies for designing and preparing the cost-effective and highperformance MoS_(2)-based catalysts through optimizing the charge transfer,surface-active sites,ΔGH,and surface hydrophilicity.Lastly,the perspectives,challenges,and future research directions of HER electrocatalysis are also given to facilitate the further research and development of HER catalysts.

Hierarchical molybdenum disulfide nanosheet arrays stemmed from nickel-cobalt layered double hydroxide/carbon cloth for highly-efficient hydrogen evolution reaction

The hierarchical structure of molybdenum disulfide(MoS2)nanosheet arrays stemmed from nickelcobalt layered double hydroxide(NiCo-LDH)/carbon cloth was prepared by growing the MoS_(2) nanosheet arrays onto the NiCo-LDH template which was pre-deposited onto the carbon cloth substrate.In this electrode configuration,carbon cloth is the three dimensional and conductive skeleton;NiCo-LDH nanosheets,as the template,ensure the oriented growth of MoS2 nanosheet arrays.Therefore,more MoS_(2) active sites are exposed and the catalyst exhibits good hydrogen evolution reaction activity.

Strong interactions in molybdenum disulfide heterostructures boosting the catalytic performance of water splitting: A short review

Two-dimensional materials(2DMs) have attracted substantial attention due to their abundant active sites and their ultrahigh surface area for different catalytic applications due to the high lateral-longitudinal ratio. Transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs), especially MoS2, as one of the 2DMs most often studied, have shown superior activity in electrochemical applications. Recently, combinations of different 2DMs have been widely studied, and they appear to be the most promising strategy available to develop state of the art catalysts for different reactions.In this article, we review the interactions between MoS2 and other materials as well as the novel assembly induced phase transitions of TMDs and their underlying mechanisms. Several methods for inducing the phase transition of TMDs by building MoS2-based heterostructures have been introduced. The electronic coupling between these counterparts has significantly enhanced their conductivity and optimized the energy states of the materials, thus introducing enhanced activity as compared to their original counterparts. The ideas summarized in this article may shed new light on and help to develop next-generation green energy materials by designing and constructing highly active two-dimensional catalysts for efficient water splitting.

Energy Transfer Dynamics between Carbon Quantum Dots and Molybdenum Disulfide Revealed by Transient Absorption Spectroscopy

Zero-dimensional environmentally friendly carbon quantum dots(CQDs)combined with two-di-mensional materials have a wide range of applications in optoelec-tronic devices.We combined steady-state and transient absorp-tion spectroscopies to study the energy transfer dynamics between CQDs and molybdenum disulfide(MoS_(2)).Transient absorption plots showed photoinduced absorption and stimulated emission features,which involved the intrinsic and defect states of CQDs.Adding MoS_(2)to CQDs solution,the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of CQDs transferred energy to MoS_(2),which quenched the intrinsic emission at 390 nm.With addition of MoS_(2),CQD-MoS_(2)composites quenched defect emission at 490 nm and upward absorption,which originated from another energy transfer from the defect state.Two energy transfer paths between CQDs and MoS_(2)were efficiently manipulated by changing the concentration of MoS_(2),which laid a foundation for improving device performance.

Tunable terahertz acoustic-phonon emission from monolayer molybdenum disulfide

The acoustic-phonon emission from monolayer molybdenum disulfide(ML-MoS_(2))driven by a direct-current electric field is studied theoretically using the Boltzmann equation method.It is found that the Cerenkov emission of terahertz acoustic-phonons can be generated when a very weak electric field is applied to ML-MoS_(2).The physical mechanisms of acoustic-phonon emission are analyzed from the perspective of condensed matter physics.The acoustic-phonon emission from ML-MoS_(2)is also compared with those from graphene and GaAs.The results reveal that the frequencies of acousticphonons generated by ML-MoS_(2)are between the frequencies of those generated from GaAs and graphene.The results of this work suggest that the ML-MoS_(2)can make up for graphene and GaAs in respect of acoustic-phonon emission and be used in tunable hypersonic devices such as terahertz sound sources.

Properties of a MOS Device on Single Layer Molybdenum Disulfide

The properties of a metal-oxide-semiconductor device on a single layer MoS_(2)(molybdenum disulfide)semiconductor are determined theoretically utilizing the concept of physics that the carrier effective masses in materials are related to the intrinsic Fermi energy levels in materials by the universal mass-energy equivalence equation given as dE/E=dm/m,where E is the energy and m is the mass of the free electron.The known parameters of electron effective mass of 0.48 m and the direct bandgap of 1.8 eV for monolayer MoS_(2) semiconductor are utilized to determine the properties of the MOS(metal-oxide-semiconductor)device,with the given previous research consequence that the threshold for electron heating in SiO_(2) is 2 MV/cm-eV.

Ethoxylated molybdenum disulphide based nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery

Despite advances in renewable energy sources, the world's current infrastructure and consumption patterns still heavily depend on crude oil. Enhanced oil recovery(EOR) is a crucial method for significantly increasing the amount of crude oil extracted from mature and declining oil fields. Nanomaterials have shown great potential in improving EOR methods due to their unique properties, such as high surface area, tunable surface chemistry, and the ability to interact at the molecular level with fluids and rock surfaces. This study examines the potential use of incorporating ethoxylated molybdenum disulfide with a unique three-dimensional flower-like morphology for overcoming the challenges associated with oil recovery from reservoirs characterized by complex pore structures and low permeability. The synthesized nanomaterial features a chemical composition that encompasses a polar ethoxy group linking molybdenum disulfide nanosheets and an alkylamine chain. The ethoxy group promotes interactions with water molecules through hydrogen bonding and electrostatic forces, disrupting the cohesive forces among water molecules and reduction surface tension at the oil-water interface. As a result, the nanomaterial achieves an ultra-low interfacial tension of 10^(-3) mN/m. Core flooding experiments demonstrate a significant oil recovery of approximately 70% at a concentration as low as 50 ppm. This research paves the way for the design and synthesis of advanced extended surfactant-like nanomaterials,offering a promising avenue for enhancing oil recovery efficiency.

Active MoS_(2)-based electrode for green ammonia synthesis

Nitrogen electro-reduction under mild conditions is one promising alternative approach of the energyconsuming Haber-Bosch process for the artificial ammonia synthesis.One critical aspect to unlocking this technology is to discover the catalysts with high selectivity and efficiency.In this work,the N_(2)-to-NH_(3)conversion on the functional MoS_(2)is fully investigated by density functional theory calculations since the layered MoS_(2)provides the ideal platform for the elaborating copies of the nitrogenase found in nature,wherein the functionalization is achieved via basal-adsorption,basal-substitution or edge-substitution of transition metal elements.Our results reveal that the edge-functionalization is a feasible strategy for the activity promotion;however,the basal-adsorption and basal-substitution separately suffer from the electrochemical instability and the NRR inefficiency.Specifically,MoS_(2)functionalized via edge W-substitution exhibits an exceptional activity.The energetically favored reaction pathway is through the distal pathway and a limiting potential is less than 0.20 V.Overall,this work escalates the rational design of the high-effective catalysts for nitrogen fixation and provides the explanation why the predicated catalyst have a good performance,paving the guidance for the experiments.

Self-dispersed molybdenum disulfide quantum dot/graphene crumpled ball as efficient high temperature lubricant additive

Inorganic nanoparticles have been proved as powerful lubricant additives at elevated temperature.However,the tribological properties are inevitably impaired due to poor dispersion and insufficient high temperature resistance of organic matter modified nanoparticles.Here,we prepare a self-dispersed molybdenum disulfide quantum dot/graphene crumpled ball(MGCB)comprising molybdenum disulfide quantum dot uniformly interspersed on the wrinkled graphene ball.The crumpled ball composite possesses excellent dispersity in polyalkylene glycol base oil without depending on surface modifiers.Compared with the conventional phosphate esters lubricant,our results indicate MGCB could vastly improve the lubrication performance of polyalkylene glycol with an extremely low concentration(0.05 wt%)at elevated temperature(150°C),showing a friction reduction of 47%and a wear reduction of 30%compared with the conventional phosphate esters lubricant(tricresyl phosphate,TCP).This is because crumpled ball potentiates synergistic lubrication effect within the boundary lubrication.Overall,we envision our designed self-dispersed MGCB has significant potential in tribological application at elevated temperature.

Film Flow of Nano-Micropolar Fluid with Dissipation Effect

The physical problem of the thin film flow of a micropolar fluid over a dynamic and inclined substrate under the influence of gravitational and thermal forces in the presence of nanoparticles is formulated.Five different types of nanoparticle samples are accounted for in this current study,namely gold Au,silver Ag,molybdenum disulfide MoS_(2),aluminum oxide Al_(2)O_(3),and silicon dioxide SiO_(2).Blood,a micropolar fluid,serves as the common base fluid.An exact closed-form solution for this problem is derived for the first time in the literature.The results are particularly validated against those for the Newtonian fluid and show excellent agreement.It was found that increasing values of the spin boundary condition and micropolarity lead to a reduction in both the thermal and momentum boundary layers.A quantitative decay in the Nusselt number for a micropolar fluid,as compared to a Newtonian one for all the tested nanoparticles,is anticipated.Gold and silver nanoparticles(i)intensify in the flow parameter as the concentration of nanoparticles increases(ii)yield a higher thermal transfer rate,whereas molybdenum disulfide,aluminum oxide,and silicon dioxide exhibit a converse attitude for both Newtonian and micropolar fluids.The reduction in film thickness for fluid comprising gold particles,as compared to the rest of the nanoparticles,is remarkable.

Advanced 2D molybdenum disulfide for green hydrogen production: Recent progress and future perspectives

The development of renewable and affordable energy is crucial for building a sustainable society. In this context, establishing a sustainable infrastructure for renewable energy requires the integration of energy storage, specifically use of renewable hydrogen. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) of electrochemical water splitting is a promising method for producing green hydrogen. Recently, two-dimensional nanomaterials have shown great promise in promoting the HER in terms of both fundamental research and practical applications due to their high specific surface areas and tunable electronic properties. Among them, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), a non-noble metal catalyst, has emerged as a promising alternative to replace expensive platinum-based catalysts for the HER because MoS_(2)has a high inherent activity, low cost, and abundant reserves. At present, greatly improved activity and stability are urgently needed for MoS_(2)to enable wide deployment of water electrolysis devices. In this regard, efficient strategies for precisely modifying MoS_(2)are of interest. Herein, the progress made with MoS_(2)as an HER catalyst is reviewed, with a focus on modification strategies, including phase engineering, morphology design, defect engineering, heteroatom doping, and heterostructure construction. It is believed that these strategies will be helpful in designing and developing high-performance and low-cost MoS2-based catalysts by lowering the charge transfer barrier, increasing the active site density, and optimizing the surface hydrophilicity. In addition, the challenges of MoS_(2)electrocatalysts and perspectives for future research and development of these catalysts are discussed.

High-throughput calculation-based rational design of Fe-doped MoS_(2) nanosheets for electrocatalytic p H-universal overall water splitting

Electrocatalytic water splitting is crucial for H2generation via hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)but subject to the sluggish dynamics of oxygen evolution reaction(OER).In this work,single Fe atomdoped MoS_(2)nanosheets(SFe-DMNs)were prepared based on the high-throughput density functional theory(DFT)calculation screening.Due to the synergistic effect between Fe atom and MoS_(2)and optimized intermediate binding energy,the SFe-DMNs could deliver outstanding activity for both HER and OER.When assembled into a two-electrode electrolytic cell,the SFe-DMNs could achieve the current density of 50 mA cm^(-2)at a low cell voltage of 1.55 V under neutral condition.These results not only confirmed the effectiveness of high-throughput screening,but also revealed the excellent activity and thus the potential applications in fuel cells of SFe-DMNs.

Nano-Ni-Induced Electronic Modulation of MoS_(2) Nanosheets Enables Energy-Saving H_(2) Production and Sulfide Degradation

Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution and sulfion(S^(2-))recycling are promising strategies for boosting H_(2)production and removing environmental pollutants.Here,a nano-Ni-functionalized molybdenum disulfide(MoS_(2))nanosheet was assembled on steel mesh(Ni-MoS_(2)/SM)for use in sulfide oxidation reaction-assisted,energy-saving H_(2)production.Experimental and theoretical calculation results revealed that anchoring nano-Ni on high-surface-area slack MoS_(2)nanosheets not only optimized catalyst adsorption of polysulfides but also played an important role in promoting hydrogen evolution reaction kinetics by absorbing OH_(ad),thereby greatly enhancing the catalytic performance toward sulfide oxidation reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction.Meanwhile,the Ni/MoS^(2-)based hydrogen evolution reaction+sulfide oxidation reaction system achieved nearly 100%hydrogen production efficiency and only consumed 61%less power per kWh than the oxygen evolution reaction+hydrogen evolution reaction system,which suggested our proposed Ni-MoS_(2)and novel hydrogen production system are promising for sustainable energy production.

Three-dimensional MoS_2/reduced graphene oxide aerogel as a macroscopic visible-light photocatalyst

Photocatalysis is regarded as an ideal technology for solving the urgent environmental and energy issues that we face today.Among the reported photocatalysts,molybdenum disulfide（MoS2） is very promising for applications in hydrogen production and pollutant photodegradation.However,its lack of active sites and the difficulty of recovering catalysts in powder form have hindered its wide application.Here,we report the successful preparation of a macroscopic visible-light responsive MoS2/reduced graphene oxide（MoS2/RGO） aerogel.The obtained MoS2/RGO aerogel exhibits enhanced photocatalytic activity towards hydrogen production and photoreduction of Cr（Ⅵ） in comparison with the MoS2 powder.In addition,the low density（56.1 mg/cm^3） of the MoS2/RGO aerogel enables it to be used as an efficient adsorption material for organic pollutants.Our results demonstrate that this very promising multifunctional aerogel has potential applications in environmental remediation and clean energy production.

Synthesis of nano-MoS_2/bentonite composite and its application for removal of organic dye

A nano-MoS2/bentonite composite was synthesized by calcinating MoS3 deposited on bentonite in H2. The obtained composite was characterized using thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. The results show that nano-MoS2 particles are distributed on the surface of bentonite and form layered structures with layer distance of about 0.64 nm. The composite presents an excellent performance for the removal of methyl orange. Some operation conditions affect the removal efficiency of methyl orange, such as dosage of composite, initial concentration of methyl orange, temperature and pH value. However, light source does not influence the removal efficiency. The removal mechanism is attributed to the adsorption of methyl orange on the nano-MoS2/bentonite composite. The adsorption of methyl orange on the composite is in accordance with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model.

Strategies to improve electrocatalytic and photocatalytic performance of two-dimensional materials for hydrogen evolution reaction

Two-dimensional materials(2D)with unique physicochemical properties have been widely studied for their use in many applications,including as hydrogen evolution catalysts to improve the efficiency of water splitting.Recently,typical 2D materials MoS2,graphene,MXenes,and black phosphorus have been widely investigated for their application in the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).In this review,we summarize three efficient strategies—defect engineering,heterostructure formation,and heteroatom doping—for improving the HER performance of 2D catalysts.The d-band theory,density of states,and Fermi energy level are discussed to provide guidance for the design and construction of novel 2D materials.The challenges and prospects of 2D materials in the HER are also considered.

Mechanism of catalytic hydropyrolysis of sedimentary organic matter with MoS_2

MoS2 was used as an efficient catalyst for hydropyrolysis （Hypy） of three samples of sedimentary organic matter with different maturities. Through comparison with Soxhlet extraction （SE）, it was found that MoS2 catalytic Hypy can remarkably promote the yields of total chloroform extracts, saturates, aromatics, hopanes and steranes. In addition, the difference of biomarker parameters indicated that isomerization of covalently-bound biomarkers is much more difficult than their free counterparts. Meanwhile, the high conversion of total organic carbon （TOC） in MoS2 catalytic Hypy of organic matter proved that the presence of dispersed molybdenum sulfide accelerated the breaking of C-C bonds and the release of hydrocarbons. To address the catalytic mechanism, a series of control experiments based on free Hypy and catalytic Hypy were conducted. The results showed that the calculated atomic ratio of carbon conversion/hydrogen conversion for catalytic Hypy was much larger than the presumed value of 1/2, indicating that intensive hydrogenation took place and significantly influenced the distribution of liquid products. Analysis of stable hydrogen isotope data, infrared spectra and m/z 83 ion chromatograph of the saturate fraction further confirmed this hypothesis. The difference of S content changing （AS） between catalyst-free Hypy and catalytic Hypy, and the thermal characteristics of the catalyst, indicated that active H2S was definitely generated and it probably initiated free radical reactions in the early stage of hydropyrolysis of organic matter.

Highly sensitive piezoresistive pressure sensors based on laser-induced graphene with molybdenum disulfide nanoparticles

Wearable pressure sensors have drawn significant attention because of their extensive applications in motion detection, tactile sensing, and health monitoring. However, the complex manufacturing process and high cost of active materials make low-cost,large-scale production elusive. In this work, we report a flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor assembled with two 3D laserinduced graphene(LIG) foam electrodes on a polyimide thin film from a simple laser scribing process in the ambient environment. The design of the air gap between the two foam electrodes allows the sensor to showcase a low limit of detection of 0.274 Pa, which provides favorable sensing performance in motion detection and wrist pulse monitoring. The addition of spherical MoS2 nanoparticles between the two foam electrodes further enhances the sensitivity to 88 k Pa-1 and increases the sensing range to significantly outperform the previous literature reports. The demonstrated LIG pressure sensors also exhibit fast response/recovery rates and excellent durability/repeatability.