Abstract
Inorganic fullerene-like closed-cage nanoparticles of MoS2 and WS2 (IF-MoS2; IF-WS2), are synthesized in substantial amounts and their properties are widely studied. Their superior tribological properties led to large scale commercial applications as solid lubricants in numerous products and technologies. Doping of these nanoparticles can be used to tune their physical properties. In the current work, niobium (Nb) doping of the nanoparticles is accomplished to an unprecedented low level (≤0.1 at%), which allows controlling the work function and the band gap. The Nb contributes a positive charge, which partially compensates the negative surface charge induced by the intrinsic defects (sulfur vacancies). The energy diagram and position of the Fermi level on the nanoparticles surface is determined by Kelvin probe microscopy and optical measurements. Some potential applications of these nanoparticles are briefly discussed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 1700165 |
| Journal | Particle and Particle Systems Characterization |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Funding
The authors thank Bat-El Raphael for her help with the Kelvin probe measurements. The authors acknowledge support from the FTA action “Inorganic nanotube-polymer composites” No. 711543 of the Israel National Nano Initiative, the Irving and Cherna Moskowitz Center for Nano and Bio-Nano Imaging grant No. 7208214, and the Perlman Family Foundation; the Israel Science Foundation grants No. 265/12, the Kimmel Center for Nanoscale Science grant No. 43535000350000, the German-Israeli Foundation (GIF) grant No. 712053, the Irving and Azelle Waltcher Foundations in honor of Prof. M. Levy grant No. 720821, the EU project ITN- “MoWSeS” grant No. 317451, the G. M. J. Schmidt Minerva Center for Supramolecular Chemistry grant No. 434000340000. The work of A.I.F. was funded by the Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences, Office of Basic Energy Sciences of the U.S. Department of Energy through Grant DE-FG02- 03ER15476. Work at the X18-A beamline was supported through the Synchrotron Catalysis Consortium (U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Grant No. DE-SC0012335. The authors thank Bat-El Raphael for her help with the Kelvin probe measurements. The authors acknowledge support from the FTA action “Inorganic nanotube-polymer composites” No. 711543 of the Israel National Nano Initiative, the Irving and Cherna Moskowitz Center for Nano and Bio-Nano Imaging grant No. 7208214, and the Perlman Family Foundation; the Israel Science Foundation grants No. 265/12, the Kimmel Center for Nanoscale Science grant No. 43535000350000, the German-Israeli Foundation (GIF) grant No. 712053, the Irving and Azelle Waltcher Foundations in honor of Prof. M. Levy grant No. 720821, the EU project ITN-“MoWSeS” grant No. 317451, the G. M. J. Schmidt Minerva Center for Supramolecular Chemistry grant No. 434000340000. The work of A.I.F. was funded by the Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences, Office of Basic Energy Sciences of the U.S. Department of Energy through Grant DE-FG02-03ER15476. Work at the X18-A beamline was supported through the Synchrotron Catalysis Consortium (U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Grant No. DE-SC0012335.
Keywords
- doping
- fullerene-like
- inorganic nanotubes
- nanoparticles