Functionalization of Liquid‐Exfoliated Two‐Dimensional 2H‐MoS 2

Layered two‐dimensional (2D) inorganic transition‐metal dichalchogenides (TMDs) have attracted great interest as a result of their potential application in optoelectronics, catalysis, and medicine. However, methods to functionalize and process such 2D TMDs remain scarce. We have established a facile route towards functionalized layered MoS 2 . We found that the reaction of liquid‐exfoliated 2D MoS 2 , with M(OAc) 2 salts (M=Ni, Cu, Zn; OAc=acetate) yielded functionalized MoS 2 –M(OAc) 2 materials. Importantly, this method furnished the 2H‐polytype of MoS 2 which is a semiconductor. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFT–IR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) provide strong evidence for the coordination of MoS 2 surface sulfur atoms to the M(OAc) 2 salt. Interestingly, functionalization of 2H‐MoS 2 allows for its dispersion/processing in more conventional laboratory solvents.