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Oxidizing Properties of the Polysulfide Surfaces of Patronite VS 4 and NbS 3 Induced by (S 2 ) 2− Groups: Unusual Formation of Ag 2 S Nanoparticles
Author(s) -
Kozlova Mariia N.,
Grayfer Ekaterina D.,
Poltarak Pavel A.,
Artemkina Sofya B.,
Cherkov Alexander G.,
Kibis Lidiya S.,
Boronin Andrei I.,
Fedorov Vladimir E.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced materials interfaces
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.671
H-Index - 65
ISSN - 2196-7350
DOI - 10.1002/admi.201700999
Subject(s) - polysulfide , oxidizing agent , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , transition metal , nanorod , materials science , nanoparticle , metal , sulfur , transmission electron microscopy , redox , nanotechnology , crystallography , chemical engineering , catalysis , chemistry , metallurgy , organic chemistry , electrode , engineering , electrolyte
Similarly to transition metal dichalcogenides akin to MoS 2 , transition metal polysulfides like tri‐ and tetrachalcogenide materials are nowadays incorporated into catalysts and composites used for energy conversion and storage, etc. However, polysulfide structures feature S S units, which make them strikingly different from the widely known MoS 2 and other dichalcogenides. At the same time, their surface chemistry and its relation to properties are very little studied. Reported here is one of the first observations on the oxidizing properties of disulfide bridges ( S S ) 2− forming surfaces in polysulfide crystals. Upon interaction with silver salts or silver nanoparticles, MoS 2 acts as most supports, that is, it stabilizes metallic Ag at its surface; in contrast, curiously, patronite VS 4 and NbS 3 stabilize Ag 2 S nanoparticles under identical reducing conditions. The Ag/MoS 2 , Ag 2 S/NbS 3 , and Ag 2 S/VS 4 samples are characterized with X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Apparently, the unexpected formation of Ag 2 S is due to complex redox processes involving disulfide fragments –S–S– of nanorods VS 4 or nanoribbons NbS 3 , which are absent in MoS 2 nanosheets. This result is important for fundamental understanding of the properties of sulfur‐rich surfaces and also for contributing to the number of available synthetic paths toward Ag 2 S nanoparticles.