Optically Facet-Resolved Reaction Anisotropy in Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

TL;DR

This study uses optical second-harmonic generation spectroscopy and microscopy to quantify facet-resolved reaction anisotropy in 2D transition metal dichalcogenides, revealing material-dependent reaction patterns and edge-specific kinetics.

Contribution

It introduces a novel optical method for facet-resolved kinetic measurements of reactions in 2D TMDs, uncovering structure-dependent anisotropy and reaction pathways.

Findings

Reaction rates vary by edge type and material.

Anisotropy is higher in MoS2 and MoSe2.

Reactions initiate at substrate-mediated defects.

Abstract

Quantifying anisotropy in the chemical reactions of mesoscopic crystals has mostly resorted on the combination of electron microscopy and diffraction. In this work, we established crystal-facet-resolved kinetic measurements of oxidation reactions in 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) using optical second-harmonic generation spectroscopy and scanning probe microscopy. We show the in-plane anisotropy of their bond-breaking reactions is governed by their structure and strongly material-dependent among four TMDs. The facet-resolved analysis directly revealed that the reactions proceed fastest (slowest) for chalcogen (metal)-terminated zigzag edges with armchair edges in the middle. The degree of the anisotropy inducing trigonal oxidation patterns was much higher in MoS2 and MoSe2 than WS2 and WSe2. Kinetic Wulff construction based on edge-specific reaction rates verified the material-dependent mesoscopic reaction patterns. We also show that the reactions are initiated at substrate-mediated defects located on the bottom and top surfaces of 2D TMDs.