Ultrasound sonication-mediated fabrication of thin molybdenum disulfide nanosheets from their bulk

The exfoliation of bulk MoS 2 into very thin sheets with a 2D structure holds promise across various fields. In this study, we present a simple and cost-effective method for producing MoS₂ nanosheets in large quantities using ultrasound probe sonication (20 kHz) in dimethylformamide (DMF) for 60 min. This approach is straightforward, scalable, and avoids the use of auxiliary substances, achieving a high yield of 90% for MoS₂ nanosheets. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses confirm that the resulting nanosheets are thin, with a lateral size distribution of approximately 150 nm and a thickness of ∼ 2.5 nm. Further characterization of the fabricated MoS₂ nanosheets was conducted using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy.