Intercalation of Metal into Transition Metal Dichalcogenides in Molten Salts

Van der Waals (vdW)-layered materials have drawn tremendous interests due to their unique properties. Atom intercalation in the vdW gap of layered materials can tune their electronic structure and generate unexpected properties. Here a chemical-scissor-mediated method that enables metal intercalation into transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) in molten salts is reported. By using this approach, various guest metal atoms (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Ag) are intercalated into various TMDC hosts (such as TiS2, NbS2, TaS2, TiSe2, NbSe2, TaSe2, and Ti0.5V0.5S2). The structure of the intercalated compound and intercalation mechanism are investigated. The results indicate that the vdW gap and valence state of TMDCs can be modified through metal intercalation, and the intercalation behavior is dictated by the electron work function. The adjustable charge transfer and intercalation endow a channel for rapid mass transfer to enhance the electrochemical performances. Such a chemical-scissor-mediated intercalation provides an approach to tune the physical and chemical properties of TMDCs, which may open an avenue in functional application ranging from energy conversion to electronics. A chemical-scissor-mediated protocol enables metal intercalate into transition metal chalcogenides (TMDCs) via electron solvation in molten salt. Molten salts with solvated electrons can serve as a bridge to connect adducts to atomic layer with empty orbitals, transforming the surface characteristics of the 2D materials without altering their lattice structure and topology.image