A method embodiment involves preparing single metal or mixed transition metal chalcogenide using exfoliation of two or more different bulk transition metal dichalcogenides in a manner to form an intermediate hetero-layered transition metal chalcogenide structure, which can be treated to provide a single-phase transition metal chalcogenide.

A MoS.sub.x/carbon black nanocomposite material, and a manufacturing method and application thereof. In the MoS.sub.x/carbon black nanocomposite material, 2≤x≤2.3. The weight percentage of MoS.sub.x as part of the total weight of the nanocomposite material is 5-50%. The MoS.sub.x/carbon black nanocomposite material has 20% higher performance when compared to a commercial 20% Pt/C catalyst. The manufactured MoS.sub.x/carbon black nanocomposite material also has excellent catalytic stability. There is no significant decrease in catalytic performance of the material after 5,000 catalytic cycles.

A MoS.sub.x/carbon black nanocomposite material, and a manufacturing method and application thereof. In the MoS.sub.x/carbon black nanocomposite material, 2≤x≤2.3. The weight percentage of MoS.sub.x as part of the total weight of the nanocomposite material is 5-50%. The MoS.sub.x/carbon black nanocomposite material has 20% higher performance when compared to a commercial 20% Pt/C catalyst. The manufactured MoS.sub.x/carbon black nanocomposite material also has excellent catalytic stability. There is no significant decrease in catalytic performance of the material after 5,000 catalytic cycles.

Nanoplatelets are prepared from a 3D layered material by: providing a dispersion of the 3D layered material, pressurising the dispersion, rapidly depressurising the dispersion to create shear forces that exfoliate the 3D layered material into nanoplatelets; and/or providing a dispersion of the 3D layered material, forming a first flow of the dispersion along a first flowpath in a first direction, forming a second flow of the dispersion along a second flowpath in a second direction by reversing the first flow or by forming the second flow in a second flowpath, wherein the second flowpath is substantially reverse and non-coaxial with the first flowpath, whereby shear forces between material in the first flowpath and material in the second flowpath exfoliate the 3D layered material into nanoplatelets. Also provided are apparatuses for carrying out the invention and nanoplatelets obtained by the invention.

Nanoplatelets are prepared from a 3D layered material by: providing a dispersion of the 3D layered material, pressurising the dispersion, rapidly depressurising the dispersion to create shear forces that exfoliate the 3D layered material into nanoplatelets; and/or providing a dispersion of the 3D layered material, forming a first flow of the dispersion along a first flowpath in a first direction, forming a second flow of the dispersion along a second flowpath in a second direction by reversing the first flow or by forming the second flow in a second flowpath, wherein the second flowpath is substantially reverse and non-coaxial with the first flowpath, whereby shear forces between material in the first flowpath and material in the second flowpath exfoliate the 3D layered material into nanoplatelets. Also provided are apparatuses for carrying out the invention and nanoplatelets obtained by the invention.

A method for producing a transition metal dichalcogenide-graphene heterojunction composite, the method includes: transferring a graphene onto a flexible substrate; depositing a transition metal layer on the flexible substrate onto which the graphene has been transferred; and injecting a gas containing plasma-treated sulfur (S) onto the flexible substrate onto which the transition metal layer has been deposited, is disclosed.

The present invention relates to a new method for creating nanopores in single layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS.sub.2) nanosheets (NSs) by the electrospray deposition (ESD) of silver ions on a water suspension of the former. Electrospray deposited silver ions react with the MoS.sub.2 NSs at the liquid-air interface resulting in Ag.sub.2S nanoparticles (NPs) which goes into the solution leaving the NSs with holes of 3-5 nm diameter. Specific reaction with the S of MoS.sub.2 NSs leads to Mo-rich edges. Such Mo-rich defects are highly efficient for the generation of active oxygen species such as H.sub.2O.sub.2, under visible light, which causes efficient disinfection of water. The holey MoS.sub.2 NSs shows 10.sup.5 times higher efficiency in disinfection compared to normal MoS.sub.2 NSs. Developed a conceptual prototype and tested with multiple bacterial strains and a viral strain, demonstrating the utility of the method for practical applications.

The present invention relates to a new method for creating nanopores in single layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS.sub.2) nanosheets (NSs) by the electrospray deposition (ESD) of silver ions on a water suspension of the former. Electrospray deposited silver ions react with the MoS.sub.2 NSs at the liquid-air interface resulting in Ag.sub.2S nanoparticles (NPs) which goes into the solution leaving the NSs with holes of 3-5 nm diameter. Specific reaction with the S of MoS.sub.2 NSs leads to Mo-rich edges. Such Mo-rich defects are highly efficient for the generation of active oxygen species such as H.sub.2O.sub.2, under visible light, which causes efficient disinfection of water. The holey MoS.sub.2 NSs shows 10.sup.5 times higher efficiency in disinfection compared to normal MoS.sub.2 NSs. Developed a conceptual prototype and tested with multiple bacterial strains and a viral strain, demonstrating the utility of the method for practical applications.

Provided are a MoS.sub.xO.sub.y/carbon nanocomposite material, a preparation method therefor and a use thereof. In the MoS.sub.xO.sub.y/carbon nanocomposite material, 2.5≤x≤3.1, 0.2≤y≤0.7, and the mass percent of MoS.sub.xO.sub.y is 5%-50% based on the total mass of the nanocomposite material. When the MoS.sub.xO.sub.y/carbon nanocomposite material is used as a catalyst for an electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction, the current density is 150 mA/cm.sup.2 or more at an overpotential of 300 mV. The difference between this performance and the performance of a commercial 20% Pt/C catalyst is relatively small, or even equivalent; and this performance is far better than the catalytic performance of an existing MOS.sub.2 composite material. The MoS.sub.xO.sub.y/carbon nanocomposite material also has a good catalytic stability, and after 8,000 catalytic cycles, the current density thereof is only decreased by 3%, thus exhibiting a very good catalytic performance and cycle stability.

Provided are a MoS.sub.xO.sub.y/carbon nanocomposite material, a preparation method therefor and a use thereof. In the MoS.sub.xO.sub.y/carbon nanocomposite material, 2.5≤x≤3.1, 0.2≤y≤0.7, and the mass percent of MoS.sub.xO.sub.y is 5%-50% based on the total mass of the nanocomposite material. When the MoS.sub.xO.sub.y/carbon nanocomposite material is used as a catalyst for an electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction, the current density is 150 mA/cm.sup.2 or more at an overpotential of 300 mV. The difference between this performance and the performance of a commercial 20% Pt/C catalyst is relatively small, or even equivalent; and this performance is far better than the catalytic performance of an existing MOS.sub.2 composite material. The MoS.sub.xO.sub.y/carbon nanocomposite material also has a good catalytic stability, and after 8,000 catalytic cycles, the current density thereof is only decreased by 3%, thus exhibiting a very good catalytic performance and cycle stability.