Redox exfoliated NbS2: characterization, stability, and oxidation

Niobium disulfide is a layered transition metal dichalcogenide that is being exploited as a two-dimensional material. Although it is a superconductor at low temperatures and demonstrates great potential to be applied as a catalyst or co-catalyst in hydrogen evolution reactions, only a few reports have demonstrated the synthesis of a few-layer NbS₂. However, before applications can be pursued, it is essential to understand the main characteristics of the obtained material and its stability under an atmospheric environment. In this work, we conducted a thorough characterization of redox-exfoliated NbS₂ nanoflakes regarding their structure and stability in an oxygen-rich environment. Structural, morphological, and spectroscopic characterization demonstrated different fingerprints associated with distinct oxidation processes. This led us to identify oxide species and analyse the stability of the redox exfoliated NbS₂ nanosheets in air, suggesting the most likely reaction pathways during the NbS₂ interaction with oxygen, which agrees with our density-functional theory results. The mastery over the stability of layered materials is of paramount importance to target future applications, mainly because the electronic properties of these materials are strongly affected by an oxidizing environment.