Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Study of Fullerene-Like WS₂

Inorganic fullerene-like nanoparticles of WS₂ (IF-WS₂), are synthesized by a reaction of tungsten oxide with molecular hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide. The synthesized nanoparticles appear as large agglomerates (>40 microns), each one counting thousands of IF nanoparticles. ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance study of these nanoparticles is reported. The measurements show that the prepared product contains water (and possibly some hydrogen) molecules that occupy the voids in the central part of the fullerene-like nanoparticles and the nanopores between the adhering IF-WS₂ particles. Defects in the IF-WS₂ structure, arising due to the strain release during the folding of the layers, may result in additional sites for the absorbed water. Vacuum annealing of the powder leads to substantial reduction in the amount of absorbed water molecules.