Synthesis and characterization of inorganic fullerene-like WSe2 material

Lately MoS2 and WS2 fullerene-like nanoparticles, generically termed inorganic fullerene-like (IF) materials, were reproducibly obtained by gas phase(4,6) and solid state(6) reactions and the growth mechanism of such structures was elucidated(6). The present work deals with the synthesis of IF-WSe2 from tungsten oxide and selenium vapors. Thermodynamic calculations of the sulfidization and selenization processes are provided, and indicate salient differences between the two processes. Notwithstanding, the growth model of IF-WSe2 is similar to that of sulfide fullerene-like material. The IF-WSe2 was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy.