Inorganic Fullerenes of MX2 (M=W,Mo;X=S,Se)

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe gas-phase reaction between MoO3-x and H2S in a reducing atmosphere and at elevated temperatures (800° to 950°C) has been used to synthesize large quantities of an almost pure nested inorganic fullerenes (IFs) phase of MoS2. A uniform IF phase with a relatively narrow size distribution was obtained. The x-ray spectra of the different samples show that as the average size of the IF decreases the van der Waals gap along the c axis increases, largely because of the strain involved in folding of the lamella. Large amount of quite uniform nanotubes were obtained under modified preparation conditions.In the second part of this work MoS2 nested fullerenes were grown on Ti and Nb and Mo oxide substrates. In one set of conditions hollow nested fullerenes of MoS2 were collected on a titanium oxide matrix, and analyzed by local area energy dispersive analysis. Under different flow conditions of the reacting gasses nested fullerenes with endohedral metal oxides were obtained and analyzed by electron diffraction.