The nature of K-induced 2H and 1T'-MoS2 species and their phase transition behavior for the synthesis of methanethiol (CH3SH)

Zhizhi Xu; Jian Fang; Jichang Lu; Dedong He; Sufang He; Yongming Luo

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2022.104999

The nature of K-induced 2H and 1T'-MoS₂ species and their phase transition behavior for the synthesis of methanethiol (CH₃SH)

iScience. 2022 Aug 24;25(9):104999. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104999. eCollection 2022 Sep 16.

Authors

Zhizhi Xu^{1

2

3

4}, Jian Fang^{5

3

4}, Jichang Lu^{1

5

3

4}, Dedong He^{1

3

4}, Sufang He^{5

3

4}, Yongming Luo^{1

5

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, P. R. China.
² Yunnan Research Academy of Eco-environmental Sciences, Kunming 650093, P. R. China.
³ The Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Odorous Volatile Organic Compounds Pollutants Control of Yunnan Province, Kunming 650500, P. R. China.
⁴ The Innovation Team for Volatile Organic Compounds Pollutants Control and Resource Utilization of Yunnan Province, Kunming 650500, P. R. China.
⁵ Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650050, P.R. China.

Abstract

The one-step reaction approach from syngas with hydrogen sulfide (CO/H₂/H₂S) over potassium (K) promoted Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) materials can provide alternatives for the synthesis of methanethiol (CH₃SH). However, the direct confirmation and determination of the real active nature of K-induced 2H and 1T'-MoS₂ for this reaction and the corresponding phase transformation behavior and origin of K-induced 2H-MoS₂ from/to 1T'-MoS₂ remains unclear. Herein, we proved at the atomic level the precise position of K over 1T'-MoS₂ and 2H-MoS₂ species using the technique of HAADF-STEM. A relationship between K-induced 1T' and 2H-MoS₂ phases and the catalytic property to synthesize CH₃SH was established, and K-intercalated 1T'-MoS₂ phase was confirmed to have excellent catalytic performances. Moreover, the behavior, origin, and influencing factors of phase transformation of 2H-MoS₂ from/to 1T'-MoS₂ in the existence of K were well proved.

Keywords: Catalysis; chemical reaction; chemistry; inorganic chemistry.