SYNTHESIS OF NANOCRYSTALLINE MOS2 AND WS2 IN A MICROWAVE PLASMA

This paper describes the synthesis of nanoparticulate MoS2 and WS2. Th ese compounds are of special interest, as they form layered structures . The synthesis is performed by the reaction of the hexacarbonyls with H2S in a microwave plasma. The resulting particles are in the range o f 5 to 15 nm in diameter. It is remarkable that, in contrast to other nanoparticles, these particles contain step dislocations in the {2000} planes and point defects, causing bending of the lattice planes. Addi tionally, particles exhibiting nested fullerene-like structures and po lyhedron-shaped crystals were found. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. Al l rights reserved.