Synthesis of Monodisperse MoS 2 Nanoparticles by the Template Method

Monodisperse molybdenum-disulfide nanoparticles are synthesized in the mesopores of a template, i.e., spherical silica ( m SiO 2 ) particles. First, the pores of the m SiO 2 particles are impregnated with the precursor (ammonium tetrathiomolybdate) solution. Then, MoS 2 is synthesized from the precursor within the pores of m SiO 2 via the annealing of particles in a H 2 S/H 2 atmosphere under thermodynamically equilibrium conditions. To obtain individual MoS 2 nanoparticles, the template material ( a -SiO 2 ) is selectively removed from the composite m SiO 2 /MoS 2 particles via etching in HF. The average size of the MoS 2 nanoparticles is determined by microscopic methods to be 3.5 nm. According to dynamic light scattering data, the nanoparticles have a low root-mean-square size scatter (18%).