Liquid Phase Exfoliation of Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) via Shear Mixing

• Grant number: 25/03806-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Rafael Furlan de Oliveira
• Grantee: Ana Elisa da Silva Lima
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/06238-5 - Functionalized solution-processed 2D materials: development of prototyping electric sensors and biosensors, AP.JP

Abstract

With the advancement of nanomaterials development, a new class of promising materials has emerged: lamellar 2D materials, which offer distinct technological applications and innovations. Among these, a family of semiconductors stands out: two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), which exhibit a range of properties and applications, including electronic, magnetic, superconducting, optical, and catalytic. The key characteristic of TMDs lies in their van der Waals-type interlayer interactions-weak bonds that enable these materials, particularly molybdenum disulfide (MoS¿), to be easily exfoliated into one or a few layers, thereby unlocking their unique features. Among the various MoS¿ exfoliation methods, liquid-phase exfoliation stands out, utilizing techniques such as sonication and high-shear mixing to process dispersions. This study aims to investigate and evaluate the results of MoS¿ exfoliation via high-shear mixing using an in-house developed system, followed by particle size characterization, exfoliation degree assessment, and physicochemical property analysis, including chemical composition. (AU)