Lianxia Chang

Simple synthesis and characteristics of Mo/MoS2 inorganic fullerene-like and actinomorphic nanospheres with core?shell structure

High yields of Mo/MoS2 inorganic fullerene-like and actinomorphic nanospheres with a core?shell structure have been successfully synthesized by the one-step reaction of sulfur and molybdenum nanospheres under a hydrogen atmosphere, in which the Mo nanospheres were prepared by the wire electrical explosion method. The shell thickness of MoS2 is about 4?10?nm and exhibit an expansion of about 4.2?1% along the c-axis. Observed from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images, unreacted molybdenum lying between the (002) layers of MoS2 contributes to the larger expansion besides the strain in the bent layer and the crystal defects; the preferred growth orientations for MoS2 on the surface of Mo have two directions under different annealing temperatures: parallel to the (110) plane of Mo, presenting an actinomorphic phase, and perpendicular or having certain angles to the (110) plane, showing a fullerene-like phase. The actinomorphic Mo/MoS2 can be used for catalysis and intercalation. The fullerene-like phase can be applied as a solid lubricant to enhance the structural rigidity and load bearing capacity of hollow MoS2. In addition, the core?shell nanospheres exhibit a little higher onset temperature and a narrow temperature range against oxidation with a weaker exothermic peak than conventional 2H-MoS2.