Revealing Redox Behavior of Molybdenum Disulfide and Its Application as Rechargeable Antioxidant Reservoir

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) is a representative two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide and has a unique electronic structure and associated physicochemical properties. The redox property of MoS 2 has recently attracted significant attention from various fields, such as biomedical applications. Intriguingly, MoS 2 functions as an antioxidant in certain applications and as a pro-oxidant in others. We use the mediated electrochemical probing method to understand the redox behavior of MoS 2 . This method reveals that MoS 2 (i) has a reversible and fast redox activity at a mild potential (between −0.20 and +0.25 V vs Ag/AgCl), (ii) functions as an antioxidant for molecules that have different redox mechanisms (electron or hydrogen atom transfer), and (iii) is electrochemically or molecularly rechargeable. Finally, we show that MoS 2 reduces oxidized molecules more efficiently than the potent natural antioxidant, curcumin. This study enhances our understanding of MoS 2 and shows its potential as an advanced antioxidant reservoir.