Liquid exfoliation of mechanochemically nanostructured tungsten disulfide to a graphene-like state

The possibility of the efficient preparation of graphene-like 1H-WS₂ by the primary solventless nanostructuration of bulk 2H-WS₂ by means of its mechanochemical treatment in the presence of a chemically inert agent (NaCl) and the subsequent liquid exfoliation of the nanostructured 2H-WS₂ in an organic solvent is shown for the first time. The shear stresses generated during the grinding of the WS₂/NaCl mixture caused the formation of WS₂ particles with a reduced number of layers, while the stresses normal to their surface led to their cracking and a significant reduction in lateral size. The graphene-like morphology of the 1H-WS₂ nanoparticles in the prepared dispersions is confirmed by atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The semiconducting character of 1Н-WS₂ is supported by electron absorption and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data.