Surfactant-assisted hydrothermally synthesized MoS2 samples with controllable morphologies and structures for anthracene hydrogenation

MoS2 samples with controllable morphologies and structures were synthesized using surfactant assisted hydrothermal processes. The effects of surfactants (PEG, PVP, P123, SDS, AOT, and CTAB) on the morphologies and structures of MoS2 samples were investigated. The results revealed that spherical, bulk-like, and flower-like MoS2 particles assembled by NH4+-intercalated MoS2 nano-sheets were synthesized. The morphologies of the MoS2 samples and their structures (including the slab length and the number of stacked layers) of MoS2 nano-sheets in these samples could be controlled by adjusting the surfactants. Mono-dispersed spherical MoS2 particles could be synthesized with PEG via the creation of MoS2 nano-sheets with slab lengths shorter than 15 nm and fewer than six stacked layers. Possible formation mechanisms of these MoS2 samples created via surfactant -assisted hydrothermal processes are proposed. Further, the catalytic activities of MoS2 samples for anthracene hydrogenation were evaluated in a slurry-bed reactor. The catalyst synthesized with the surfactant PEG exhibited the highest catalytic hydrogenation activity. Compared with the other catalysts, it had a smaller particle size, mono-dispersed spherical morphology, shorter slab length, and fewer stacked layers; these were all beneficial to exposing its active edges. This work provides an efficient approach to synthesize transition metal sulfides with controllable morphologies and structures. (C) 2017, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.