The edge activity of tungsten disulfide shows unique properties in its chemical and physical behaviors, which is crucial for its applications in fields such as catalysis and sensing.
From the perspective of the atomic structure, the degree of unsaturated coordination of atoms in the edge region of tungsten disulfide is higher. In the layered structure, internal atoms are usually in a relatively stable coordination environment, such as tungsten atoms surrounded by six sulfur atoms in an octahedral coordination. However, at the edge, the coordination situation of atoms changes significantly. Tungsten and sulfur atoms at the edge lack the coordination of some adjacent atoms, and there are a large number of dangling bonds. This incomplete atomic coordination makes edge atoms have higher energy and be in a relatively unstable state, thus endowing the edge region with higher chemical activity.
In chemical reactions, the edge activity of tungsten disulfide makes it a key site for catalytic reactions. Taking the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) as an example, the highly active sites at the edge can effectively adsorb and activate hydrogen protons (H⁺). Due to the different electron cloud distribution and charge state of edge atoms from internal atoms, hydrogen protons are more likely to obtain electrons at the edge and undergo a reduction reaction to generate hydrogen. Studies have shown that the catalytic activity of the edge region of tungsten disulfide for HER is much higher than that of its internal planar region. In other catalytic reactions involving the transformation of small molecules, such as the hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions of organic compounds, the active sites at the edge can also reduce the activation energy of the reaction and promote the reaction. This is because edge atoms can form specific adsorption configurations with reactant molecules, and change the electron cloud distribution of reactant molecules through electron transfer, making the reaction more likely to proceed in the target direction.
In gas sensing applications, the edge activity of tungsten disulfide also plays an important role. Due to the high activity of edge atoms, it has a stronger adsorption ability and reaction activity for gas molecules. For example, for an oxidizing gas such as NO₂, the dangling bonds at the edge can react chemically with the NO₂ molecule, resulting in electron transfer and thus changing the electrical properties of tungsten disulfide. By detecting such changes in electrical properties, such as changes in resistance, highly sensitive detection of NO₂ gas can be achieved. Compared with the planar region, the edge region has a faster adsorption and reaction rate for gases, and can more rapidly generate detectable signal changes, greatly improving the response speed and detection accuracy of the sensor.
From the perspective of material stability, although the edge activity brings unique application advantages to it, it also has a certain impact on the stability of tungsten disulfide. Since edge atoms have higher energy, they are more likely to react with surrounding substances in certain environments, leading to changes in the edge structure. For example, in an environment with high temperature, high humidity, or the presence of a strong oxidant, the edge may undergo reactions such as oxidation and hydrolysis, causing changes in the structure and chemical composition of edge atoms, and then affecting the performance of the entire tungsten disulfide material. However, through appropriate surface modification or compounding with other materials, the edge activity can be adjusted to a certain extent, and its stability can be improved. For example, covering a protective organic molecule on the surface of tungsten disulfide or compounding it with an inert material can reduce the contact between edge atoms and the external environment, reduce the negative impact of excessive edge activity, and at the same time retain the active characteristics required for its applications in catalysis, sensing, etc.
Customized tungsten disulfide
If you are interested in purchasing or customizing tungsten disulfide, and want to know its detailed information, market conditions, and latest prices, please contact China Tungsten Intelligent Manufacturing Technology Co., Ltd.. For more information and product information about tungsten disulfide, please visit our professional tungsten disulfide website for detailed introduction.
Customized tungsten products
China Tungsten Intelligent Manufacturing Technology Co., Ltd. and its parent company have been working in the tungsten and molybdenum products industry for nearly 30 years, specializing in flexible customization of tungsten and molybdenum products worldwide. China Tungsten Intelligent Manufacturing Technology Co., Ltd. can customize and process tungsten and molybdenum products of various specifications, performances, sizes, and grades according to customer needs.
Latest preferential prices for tungsten products
The WeChat public account “China Tungsten Online” updates the prices of various tungstates such as tungstates such as tungstate powder, ammonium tungstate, tungsten products, high-density tungsten alloys, cemented carbides, tungsten concentrates, etc. on a daily basis. At the same time, it provides the most professional WeChat group in the industry for everyone to exchange supply and demand information, and you can exchange information about tungsten powder at any time. Follow “China Tungsten Online” and join the China Tungsten Online WeChat exchange group. Daily tungsten product prices and supply and demand information will be delivered in a timely manner, and real-time communication will be carried out. For more tungsten product market trends, products and information, please follow the “China Tungsten Online” WeChat public account, or visit http://news.chinatungsten.com to obtain daily updated information.
Contact information: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tel: +86 592 5129696 / 86 592 5129595
Scan the QR code to follow the “China Tungsten Online” WeChat public account and get real-time updated tungsten, molybdenum and rare earth product market prices and information for free every morning.
