Synthesis and Structural Properties of Tungsten Disulfide as Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Abstract

This study involved the synthesis of tungsten disulfide nanoparticles (WS2) by the sol-gel process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques were employed to analyze the results. XRD indicated that the nanoparticles have a hexagonal morphology, and the Scherrer equation was employed to ascertain the average crystallite size (Dav) of the synthesized nanoparticles, around 39 nm. FESEM images reveal that the crystalline structures exhibit heterogeneity in size and shape, with WS2 nanosheets aggregating to create a substantial block characterized by varied interior thicknesses. The mean size distribution of WS2 is approximately 39 nm. These findings align with the X-ray diffraction data. FTIR analysis of WS2 nanoparticles showed that the (W-S) bond is represented by the bands at 572.71 cm-1 and 2924.15 cm-1, whereas the strong and weak absorption bands of the (S-S) bond are located at 494.4 cm-1 and within the range of 571.71-769.36 cm-1. The bands at 3740.65 cm-1 and 1625.21 cm-1 represent the (O-H) bond results.