High pressure growth and characterization of molybdenum disulphide

Polycrystalline molybdenum disulphide was prepared by high pressure reduction of molybdenum trisulphide at 200 degC. The stoichiometry was tested by chemical analysis and crystallinity and microstructural parameters like particle size, variability of interlayer spacing, fractions of the plane affected by defects, root mean square strain and dislocation density etc. from x-ray analysis. Magnetic susceptibility, thermoelectric power experiments and temperature variation (150-300K) of conductivity confirmed that it is n-type diamagnetic semiconductor. A band gap of 1.18 eV was obtained from the optical absorption studies. Temperature effect under argon atmosphere or grain size and on microstructural parameters was also studied. Thermal stability behaviour in air atmosphere and scanning electron micrograph studies have also been made. (author)