General Strategy for Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenides by Ion Exchange

The ability to control and vary the atomic compositions of two-dimensional (2D) layered semiconductors is of considerable importance for tailoring their electronic and optoelectronic properties. The current methods to tailor chemical composition of 2D layered semiconductors is largely limited to vapor phase chemistry, and solution phase chemistry is insufficiently explored to date. Here, we report a general approach to prepare 2D layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) by ion exchange reactions in solution phase. By choosing four typical layered metal dichalcogenides including MoS 2, MoSe 2, WS 2 and SnS 2 as representative cases, the feasibility and versatility of both cation and anion exchange reactions in layered metal dichalcogenides are confirmed. Transient absorption results indicate that exciton lifetime of these samples as excitation energy is increased. The optoelectronic properties of these TMD nanosheets after the ion exchange exhibit potential for future devices. Our strategy can be employed not only to modulate the atomic composition and electronic structures of layered TMDs, but also open up a new pathway for the fabrication of various hybrid heterostructures.