Adsorption of gas molecules on Cu impurities embedded monolayer MoS2: A first- principles study

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 382; pp. 280 - 287
• Main Authors: Zhao, B., Li, C.Y., Liu, L.L., Zhou, B., Zhang, Q.K., Chen, Z.Q., Tang, Z.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 30.09.2016
• Subjects: Adsorption; Cu embedded; DFT; Embedded atom method; Gas molecules; Graphene; Molybdenum disulfide; Monolayer MoS2; Monolayers; Nitrogen dioxide; Sulfur; Surface chemistry; Cu embedded; Monolayer MoS2; DFT; Adsorption; Gas molecules
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.04.158

[Display omitted] •Embedded Cu atom is strongly constrained on the sulfur vacancy of monolayer MoS2.•Transition-metal Cu atom can break the chemical inactivation of MoS2 surface.•MoS2-Cu system is a promising for future application in gas molecules sensing. Adsorption of small gas molecules (O2, NO, NO2 and NH3) on transition-metal Cu atom embedded monolayer MoS2 was investigated by first-principles calculations based on the density-functional theory (DFT). The embedded Cu atom is strongly constrained on the sulfur vacancy of monolayer MoS2 with a high diffusion barrier. The stable adsorption geometry, charge transfer and electronic structures of these gas molecules on monolayer MoS2 embedded with transition-metal Cu atom are discussed in detail. It is found that the monolayer MoS2 with embedded Cu atom can effectively capture these gas molecules with high adsorption energy. The NH3 molecule acts as electron donor after adsorption, which is different from the other gas molecules (O2, NO, and NO2). The results suggest that MoS2-Cu system may be promising for future applications in gas molecules sensing and catalysis, which is similar to those of the transition-metal embedded graphene.