<font>MoS</font>₂ Microtubes: An Electron Microscopy Study

Abstract

Recently it was found that instability of thin weakly bonded MoS 2 sheets against folding can lead to a growth of hollowed microtubes with several mm lengths, 1–20 μm diameter and less than 0.1 μm wall thickness. 1 Bent sheets can directly roll up into the tube or they can produce in their microfolds a turbulent gas flow of transported molecules which promotes a tubelike growth mode. These uncommon stable features of inorganic crystals reveal a great similarity to much smaller carbon fullerences and especially to inorganic ( MoS 2 , WS 2 ) nested fullereness-nanotubes. 2 Scanning electron microscopic studies of cylindrical microtubes and twisted microribbons are combined with high resolution electron microscopic observations of stacking faults.