Thickness-Dependent Characterization of Chemically Exfoliated TiS2 Nanosheets

Monolayer TiS 2 is the lightest member of the transition metal dichalcogenide family with promising applications in energy storage and conversion systems. The use of TiS 2 has been limited by the lack of rapid characterization of layer numbers via Raman spectroscopy and its easy oxidation in wet environment. Here, we demonstrate the layer-number-dependent Raman modes for TiS 2 . 1T TiS 2 presents two characteristics of the Raman active modes, A 1g (out-of-plane) and E g (in-plane). We identified a characteristic peak frequency shift of the E g mode with the layer number and an unexplored Raman mode at 372 cm -1 whose intensity changes relative to the A 1g mode with the thickness of the TiS 2 sheets. These two characteristic features of Raman spectra allow the determination of layer numbers between 1 and 5 in exfoliated TiS 2 . Further, we develop a method to produce oxidation-resistant inks of micron-sized mono- and few-layered TiS 2 nanosheets at concentrations up to 1 mg/mL. These TiS 2 inks can be deposited to form thin films with controllable thickness and nanosheet density over square centimeter areas. This opens up pathways for a wider utilization of exfoliated TiS 2 toward a range of applications.