MoS2 Interactions with 1.5 eV Atomic Oxygen

Abstract

AbstractExposures of MoS2 to 1.5 eV atomic oxygen in an anhydrous environment reveal that the degree of oxidation is essentially independent of crystallite orientation and thesurface adsorbed reaction products are MoO3 and MoO2. A mixture ofoxides and sulfide exist over a depth of about 90 Å and this layer has a low diffusion rate for oxygen. It is concluded that a protective oxide layer will form on MoS2 upon exposure to the atomic-oxygen-rich environment of low earth orbit.