Atomic force microscope observation of MoS2 particles synthesized on mica, MoS2, and graphite

Abstract

Nanometer-sized particles of Mo oxide were thermally deposited and then sulfided on mica, MoS2, and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) to simulate MoS2 catalysts for the hydrodesulfurization reaction of petroleum. The topog. of the particles obsd. by AFM reflected the interaction force dominant at the particle-substrate interfaces. Oxide particles ionically interacted with mica which restricted the mobility of the deposit and led to particles smaller in lateral dimension, whereas aggregated oxide was obsd. on the other non-ionic substrates. Basal-bonded MoS2 crystals were obsd. on the three substrates when sulfided at 673 K.