The Effect of the Metal Impurities on the Stability, Chemical, and Sensing Properties of MoSe2 Surfaces

In this study, we present a comprehensive theoretical analysis of modifications in the physical and chemical properties of MoSe2 upon the introduction of substitutional transition metal impurities, specifically, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, W, Pd, and Pt. Wet systematically calculated the adsorption enthalpies for various representative analytes, including O2, H2, CO, CO2, H2O, NO2, formaldehyde, and ethanol, and further evaluated their free energies across a range of temperatures. By employing the formula for probabilities, we accounted for the competition among molecules for active adsorption sites during simultaneous adsorption events. Our findings underscore the importance of integrating temperature effects and competitive adsorption dynamics to predict the performance of highly selective sensors accurately. Additionally, we investigated the influence of temperature and analyte concentration on sensor performance by analyzing the saturation of active sites for specific scenarios using Langmuir sorption theory. Building on our calculated adsorption energies, we screened the catalytic potential of doped MoSe2 for CO2-to-methanol conversion reactions. This paper also examines the correlations between the electronic structure of active sites and their associated sensing and catalytic capabilities, offering insights that can inform the design of advanced materials for sensors and catalytic applications.