Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of 2D/2D MoS2/Ti3C2Tx heterostructure for enhanced microwave absorbing performance

Abstract

Simple and effective synthesis methods for 2D/2D heterostructure and the synergistic effect of 2D/2D composites on microwave absorbing (MWA) performance remain to be further explored and investigated. Herein, 2D/2D MoS2/Ti3C2Tx heterostructure was successfully synthesized in 30 min by a cost-effective and time-saving microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The 2 H-MoS2 nanosheets with a thickness of 5–10 nm were homogeneously anchored on the surface of Ti3C2Tx layers, showing a tunable distribution density. Besides, the metallic properties of MoS2/Ti3C2Tx and the strong interaction between MoS2 and Ti3C2Tx, were revealed by DFT calculations, which was employed to further understand the MWA mechanism in terms of molecular dynamics. The MoS2/Ti3C2Tx composites with an optimum mass ratio of MoS2 to Ti3C2Tx (6:1) displayed the best MWA performance. The minimum reflection loss (RL) value of −41.5 dB was attained with a layer thickness of only 2.0 mm at 12.2 GHz and a 3.6 GHz maximum efficacious absorption bandwidth. The MWA mechanism of MoS2/Ti3C2Tx composites was comprehended from multiple reflections and scattering effects, synergetic effects of conductive losses and attenuation capacity, and polarization relaxations. This work provides a facile method for the synthesis of 2D/2D heterostructure, and also provides a candidate material as potential microwave absorber.