Heterostructure Interface Research Articles

Hyperelastic and multifunctional SiC/SiO2 composite aerogels with excellent mechanical, thermal insulation and electromagnetic wave absorbing properties

SiC (silicon carbide) aerogels have attracted extensive attention due to their excellent thermal stability and large porosity. But at present, the serious challenge of SiC aerogel application is still poor mechanical properties. To address the above challenge, here we report SiC/SiO2 composite aerogels (SSCAs) with a mutually supported dual-network structure. SiO2 nanoporous networks are introduced into SiC networks to achieve the multifunctional properties, including mechanics, thermal insulation and electromagnetic wave absorption properties. Benefiting from the dual-network structure, the maximum compressive stress of the SSCAs is increased to 2551 kPa. In addition, SSCAs can withstand a large elastic strain of up to 60 %. Furthermore, the SSCAs exhibit an ultra-low thermal conductivity of 0.023 W·m−1 K−1 at room temperature. More importantly, SiC/SiO2 heterointerface structure optimizes impedance matching, resulting in an effective absorption bandwidth of 6.5 GHz. This work provides new ideas and insights for the preparation of multifunctional ceramic aerogels.

Controlled Synthesis of 2D Ferromagnetic/Antiferromagnetic Cr7Te8/MnTe Vertical Heterostructures for High-Tunable Coercivity.

Two-dimensional ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic (2D-FM/AFM) heterostructures are of great significance to realize the application of spintronic devices such as miniaturization, low power consumption, and high-density information storage. However, traditional mechanical stacking can easily damage the crystal quality or cause chemical contamination residues for 2D materials, which can result in weak interface coupling and difficulty in device regulation. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is an effective way to achieve a high-quality heterostructure interface. Herein, high-quality interface 2D-FM/AFM Cr7Te8/MnTe vertical heterostructures were successfully synthesized via a one-pot CVD method. Moreover, the atomic-scale structural scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) characterization shows that the interface of the vertical heterostructure is clear and flat without an excess interface layer. Compared to the parent Cr7Te8, the coercivity (HC) of the high-quality interface Cr7Te8/MnTe heterostructure is significantly reduced as the thickness of MnTe increases, with a maximum decrease of 74.5% when the thickness of the MnTe nanosheet is around 30 nm. Additionally, the HC of the Cr7Te8/MnTe heterostructure can also be regulated by applying a gate voltage, and the HC increases or decreases with increasing positive or negative gate voltages. Thus, the effective regulation of HC is essential to improving the performance of advanced spintronic devices (e.g., MRAM and magnetic sensors). Our work will provide ideas for spin controlling and device application of 2D-FM/AFM heterostructures.

Accelerating ion diffusion kinetics with an intensified interfacial electric field for efficient hybrid capacitive deionization

The interfacial electric field (IEF) represents a cutting-edge strategy for enhancing ion diffusion kinetics, pivotal in various technological applications. Despite its extensive use, the mechanisms and strategies for regulating IEF remain underexplored. In this study, we enhanced the IEF in a MnO2-x/g-C3N4 (CN) heterostructure by engineering oxygen vacancies in MnO2, which increased the work function difference between MnO2 and CN. The increased work function difference effectively lowers the energy barrier for electron transfer at the heterostructure interface, thereby intensifying the IEF. The enhanced IEF subsequently provides a more potent driving force, facilitating ion movement within the electrode materials during the desalination process. The modified MnO2-x/CN heterostructure demonstrates a notable salt removal capacity of 45.5 mg g−1 and an impressive salt removal rate of 4 mg g−1 min−1, under an operational voltage of 1.2 V in a 500 mg/L NaCl solution. This research not only deepens our understanding of IEF modulation in materials but also sets the stage for the development of high-performance electrodes for hybrid capacitive deionization systems.

In situ grown heterostructures based on MAX-derived TaO2F nanorod and TaC (MXene) nanosheet for high-performance hybrid supercapacitors

Two-dimensional MXene-based interface heterostructures have an undeniable position in the energy storage systems, particularly supercapacitors, due to their unique microstructure and electrochemical properties. However, the selection of materials in heterogeneous structures and the assembly strategy often have often have a significant impact on the properties of heterogeneous structures. This study proposes a in situ grown strategy for constructing TaO2F@TaC nano-heterostructures consisting of one-dimensional TaO2F nanorods combined with two-dimensional TaC nanosheets derived from the precursor MAX phase. The complex etching and growth mechanism from MAX to 1D/2D TaO2F@TaC is reasonably inferred. The construction of TaO2F@TaC nano-heterostructures effectively addresses the issue of MXene to restack and improves the poor conductivity of TaO2F. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations validated the electronic structure and charge distribution at the heterostructure interface, demonstrating its capability for electron conduction and ion transport. Moreover, the hybrid supercapacitor (HSC) based on TaO2F@TaC exhibited superior energy density (153.4 μWh cm−2 at a power density of 222.2 μW cm−2) and excellent cycle stability. The prepared quasi-solid-state supercapacitor (QSC) also shows a capacitance of 457.4 mF cm−2, and retains 99.38 % capacity after 8200 cycles. This work innovatively bypasses the multi-step process of preparing MXene heterostructures and provides a new approach for developing MXene-based electrode materials to enhance the performance of hybrid supercapacitors.

The activity of thermostable NiO/CeO2 heterointerface structure toward low-temperature catalytic CO–NO reaction

Abstract The surface grafting of NiO onto CeO2 nanocrystallites generates heterointerface structures, providing efficient active sites for CO–NO reactions toward forming N2 and CO2. In this study, we investigated the effects of high-temperature thermal aging on the activity and nanostructure of the NiO/CeO2 catalyst. After thermal aging at 900°C, the catalyst retained a high catalytic activity, whereas the reference catalysts lost theirs owing to considerable solid-state reactions and sintering. The as-prepared fresh NiO/CeO2 catalyst (calcined at 600°C) contained high dispersions of NiO species in CeO2 crystallites. Conversely, the thermally aged catalyst comprised grown NiO and CeO2 crystallites were allowed to contact intimately to form thermostable interfaces, where the perimeter in the vicinity provided the Ni2+-incorporated CeO2 surface for removing and filling the oxygen species in the catalytic cycle toward facilitating CO–NO reactions. Based on in situ Fourier-transform infrared and parallel isotopic reaction analyses, we confirmed the following as possible pathways: (i) the removal of the surface oxygen by the adsorbed CO to form an oxygen vacancy (VO), (ii) the interaction between the adsorbed NO with VO, and (iii) the N–O bond cleavage and the reaction with CO to form isocyanate, followed by the reaction with NO to produce N2.

Tribological behavior of graphene/h-BN vdW heterostructures: the role of defects at the BN layer

Molecular dynamics simulations and first principles calculations were performed to study the tribological behavior of graphene/h-BN (G/h-BN) heterostructures with vacancy and Stone–Wales (SW) defect under uniform normal load, revealing the mechanism of the effect of defect types on friction, and discussing the coupling effect of temperature and interfacial defects on the tribological behavior of G/h-BN heterostructures. Under the normal force of 0.2 nN/atom, the friction force of the four systems is 0.0057, 0.0096, 0.0077, and 0.26 nN, respectively. The friction force of SW defect heterostructure is 45 times that of perfect interface heterostructure. The influence of defect type on friction force is SW > SV > DV. By observing the dynamic change of the Z-direction coordinate position of the sliding layer atoms, the slip potential energy curves and the evolution law of the moiré pattern, the relationship between the structural morphology and the energy change of different defective heterostructures and the frictional behavior was investigated comprehensively and intuitively for the first time. From the perspective of atomic strain, the deformation of heterostructures at the atomic level was quantified. The results showed that at 300 K and 0 K, the maximum strain of atoms in the sliding layer was 11.25% and 9.85%, respectively. The thermal perturbation mainly occurs in the out-of-plane direction, which in turn affects the friction. Through density functional theory, it is found that under uniform load, it is difficult to form bonds between the graphene sliding layer and the substrate layer when the defects are in the h-BN substrate layer, which has less influence on the friction of the system, thus making the defective heterostructures also remainsuperlubricity state. These results provide a new understanding of the interfacial friction of G/h-BN defective heterostructure.

Constrained patterning of orientated metal chalcogenide nanowires and their growth mechanism

One-dimensional metallic transition-metal chalcogenide nanowires (TMC-NWs) hold promise for interconnecting devices built on two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenides, but only isotropic growth has so far been demonstrated. Here we show the direct patterning of highly oriented Mo6Te6 NWs in 2D molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2) using graphite as confined encapsulation layers under external stimuli. The atomic structural transition is studied through in-situ electrical biasing the fabricated heterostructure in a scanning transmission electron microscope. Atomic resolution high-angle annular dark-field STEM images reveal that the conversion of Mo6Te6 NWs from MoTe2 occurs only along specific directions. Combined with first-principles calculations, we attribute the oriented growth to the local Joule-heating induced by electrical bias near the interface of the graphite-MoTe2 heterostructure and the confinement effect generated by graphite. Using the same strategy, we fabricate oriented NWs confined in graphite as lateral contact electrodes in the 2H-MoTe2 FET, achieving a low Schottky barrier of 11.5 meV, and low contact resistance of 43.7 Ω µm at the metal-NW interface. Our work introduces possible approaches to fabricate oriented NWs for interconnections in flexible 2D nanoelectronics through direct metal phase patterning.

Flash Joule Heating: A Promising Method for Preparing Heterostructure Catalysts to Inhibit Polysulfide Shuttling in Li-S Batteries.

The "shuttle effect" issue severely hinders the practical application of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, which is primarily caused by the significant accumulation of lithium polysulfides in the electrolyte. Designing effective catalysts is highly desired for enhancing polysulfide conversion to address the above issue. Here, the one-step flash-Joule-heating route is employed to synthesize a W-W2C heterostructure on the graphene substrate (W-W2C/G) as a catalytic interlayer for this purpose. Theoretical calculations reveal that the work function difference between W (5.08eV) and W2C (6.31eV) induces an internal electric field at the heterostructure interface, accelerating the movement of electrons and ions, thus promoting the sulfur reduction reaction (SRR) process. The high catalytic activity is also confirmed by the reduced activation energy and suppressed polysulfide shuttling by in situ Raman analyses. With the W-W2C/G interlayer, the Li-S batteries exhibit an outstanding rate performance (665 mAh g-1 at 5.0 C) and cycle steadily with a low decay rate of 0.06% over 1000 cycles at a high rate of 3.0 C. Moreover, a high areal capacity of 10.9 mAh cm-2 (1381.4 mAh g-1) is obtained with a high area sulfur loading of 7.9mg cm-2 but a low electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 9.0 µL mg-1.

Enhancing and broadening the photoresponse of CdS nanowire by constructing core–shell heterostructure

Limited by the severe surface recombination and large bandgap, it is still a challenge to achieve a high-performance broad-spectrum photodetector based on CdS nanowires (NWs). In this work, the CdS/GeS core–shell heterostructure is constructed to enhance and broaden the photoresponse of CdS NWs. The CdS/GeS core–shell heterostructure NWs are prepared by the chemical vapor deposition method, exhibiting smooth surfaces, controlled shell thicknesses, and compositions. From the UV-Vis-near-infrared (NIR) diffuse reflectance spectrum, PL, and time-resolved photoluminescence studies, it is found that the surface recombination is weakened and the light absorption range is widened after the constructing core–shell heterostructure. When configured into photodetectors, the responsivity of the CdS/GeS core–shell heterostructure NWs is up to 76.8 A W−1, which is 10 folds higher than that of pristine CdS NWs. Furthermore, the photoresponse wavelength of the CdS/GeS core–shell heterostructure NWs is extended from 405 to 850 nm. The improved photodetection performance is attributed to the effective separation of photogenerated carriers at the heterostructure interface, weakened surface recombination, and excellent light absorption of the GeS shell. All results imply that constructing core–shell heterostructures is an effective strategy for constructing high-performance photodetectors.

Three-dimensional structure of buried heterointerfaces revealed by multislice ptychography

Three-dimensional structure of buried heterointerfaces revealed by multislice ptychography

Au-decorated Ti3C2Tx/porous carbon immunoplatform for ECM1 breast cancer biomarker detection with machine learning computation for predictive accuracy

Electrochemical immunosensors, surpassing conventional diagnostics, exhibit significant potential for cancer biomarker detection. However, achieving a delicate balance between signal sensitivity and operational stability, especially at the heterostructure interface, is crucial for practical immunosensors. Herein, porous carbon (PC) integration with Ti3C2Tx-MXene (MX) and gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) constructs a versatile immunosensing platform for detecting extracellular matrix protein-1 (ECM1), a breast cancer-associated biomarker. The inclusion of PC provided robust structural support, enhancing electrolytic diffusion with an expansive surface area while synergistically facilitating charge transfer with Ti3C2Tx. The biosensor optimized with 1.0 mg PC demonstrates a robust electrochemical redox response to the surface-bound thionine (th) redox probe, utilizing an inhibition-based strategy for ECM1 detection. The robust antibody-antigen interactions across the PC-integrated Ti3C2Tx-Au NPs platform (MX-Au-C-1) enabled robust ECM1 detection within 0.1–7.5 nM, with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.012 nM. The constructed biosensor shows improved operational stability with a 98.6 % current retention over 1 h, surpassing MXene-integrated (MX-Au) and pristine Au NPs (63.2 % and 44.3 %, respectively) electrodes. Moreover, the successful adaptation of the artificial neural network (ANN) model for predictive analysis of the generated DPV data further validates the accuracy of the biosensor, promising its future application in AI-powered remote health monitoring.

Study of pyrene-based covalent organic frameworks for efficient photocatalytic oxidation of low-concentration NO

This research presents the development of innovative pyrene-based COFs aimed at enhancing photocatalytic oxidation of low-concentration nitrogen oxide. By precisely modifying the structural length and incorporating additional functional groups into pyrene-based COFs, we identified TAPPy-DMTP-COF as the most effective performer. This COF, characterized by its shortest length and the presence of -OCH3 functional groups, demonstrated superior performance, likely due to reduced electron transfer resistance and the presence of additional oxygen active sites. Building on the potential of TAPPy-DMTP-COF, we developed a covalently linked Type-II heterostructure with g-C3N4. The resulting heterostructure, 40TAPPy-DMTP-COF/g-C3N4, with a 40 % mass fraction of TAPPy-DMTP-COF, was confirmed using SEM, XRD, and other techniques. It exhibited an exceptional photocatalytic efficiency of 45.8 % and NO3- selectivity of 97.4 %. This remarkable performance can be attributed to improved electron communication facilitated by chemical bonding, as confirmed by XPS results. Additionally, the optimized heterostructure interface not only improved electron transfer but also inhibited the recombination of electron-hole pairs. The growth of TAPPy-DMTP-COF on the surface of g-C3N4 significantly enhanced visible light absorption, as confirmed by UV–vis spectroscopy. This study not only underscores the importance of precise control over the structural features of pyrene-based COFs but also introduces a novel approach for enhancing NO oxidation. By constructing a covalently linked Type-II heterostructure, we have significantly enhanced the interface interaction within the heterostructure, leading to superior photocatalytic performance.

Optically Active Defect Engineering via Plasma Treatment in a MIS‐Type 2D Heterostructure

AbstractAt the interface of 2D heterostructures, the presence of defects and their manipulation play a crucial role in the interfacial charge transfer behavior, further influencing the device functionality and performance. In this study, the impact of deliberately introduced photo‐active defects in the h‐BN layer on the interfacial charge transfer and photoresponse performance of a metal‐insulator‐semiconductor type heterostructure device is explored. The formation and concentration of defects are qualitatively controlled using an inductive coupled plasma treatment method, as evidenced by enhanced h‐BN defect emission and more efficient optically induced doping of graphene at the graphene/h‐BN interface. Besides, the use of the h‐BN layer between graphene and WS2 not only suppresses charge carriers in the dark state, but also promotes the separation of photo‐generated electron‐hole pairs and interfacial charge transfer due to the existence of defect levels, leading to orders of magnitude improvement in the light on/off ratio and self‐driving performance of the heterostructure photodetector. This strategy of controlling defect states in the insulating layer provides a new approach to optimize the charge transfer processes at the 2D interfaces, so as to expand its potential applications in the fields of electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Controlled synthesis of nickel phosphides: Mechanistic insights and catalytic activity in hydrogen peroxide production

Strategically designing oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts based on electronic structure is a pivotal method for enhancing the electrocatalytic activity and selectivity of two-electron (2e) reactions. While many transition metal phosphides, including NixPy, have demonstrated activity in electrocatalytic reactions, their effectiveness in 2e ORR electrocatalysis is still uncertain. In this study, guided by the theoretical insights into high electroactivity unveiled by the d-band center (Ed) theory, we engineered and synthesized Ni2P/Ni5P4 nanosheets (NSs). Functioning as 2e ORR electrocatalysts in alkaline environments, the Ni2P/Ni5P4 NSs exhibited outstanding 2e selectivity of up to 95%, with an electron transfer number close to two. Demonstrating a Faradaic efficiency exceeding 95% over a wide potential range (0.2–0.5 V), these NSs displayed extended stability for over 48 h, outperforming most transition metal-based catalysts reported in literature. By employing density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the increased activity is ascribed to the adjustment of the d-band center at the engineered heterostructure interface, effectively regulating the adsorption energy of oxygen-containing intermediates (*OOH). This study offers crucial insights into the methodical design and production of effective transition metal phosphide electrocatalysts guided by the d-band center theory.

Toward Fully Multiferroic van der Waals SpinFETs: Basic Design and Quantum Calculations.

Manipulating spin transport enhances the functionality of electronic devices, allowing them to surpass physical constraints related to speed and power. For this reason, the use of van der Waals multiferroics at the interface of heterostructures offers promising prospects for developing high-performance devices, enabling the electrical control of spin information. Our work focuses primarily on a mechanism for multiferroicity in two-dimensional van der Waals materials that stems from an interplay between antiferromagnetism and the breaking of inversion symmetry in certain bilayers. We provide evidence for spin-electrical couplings that include manipulating van der Waals multiferroic edges via external voltages and the subsequent control of spin transport including for fully multiferroic spin field-effect transistors.

Interfacial effects in Ni(OH)2/MnO@Ni aerogel heterostructures promote highly efficient electrooxidation of ethylene glycol to formate and hydrogen

The sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER: 4OH− → O2 + 2H2O + 4e−, E = 1.23 V vs RHE) retards the large-scale hydrogen production. Replacing OER with low-potential ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR) to drive water splitting is a promising approach to solve the high energy consumption in hydrogen production. Herein, we report an energy-efficient electrocatalytic water splitting system by using a heterostructure Ni(OH)2/MnO aerogel catalyst (NiMn AG) that replaces OER with ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR), resulting in the co-production of value-added formate and green hydrogen. Owing to the optimized electron distribution on the heterostructure interface, the NiMn AG catalyst exhibits excellent EGOR catalytic performance, with an overpotential of only 290 mV at 100 mA cm−2. The open-circuit potential of the reaction is reduced to 0.86 V for EGOR, rendering an earlier occurrence of electron transfer. The ion chromatography (IC) result demonstrates a highly selectivity (96%) for formate in EGOR. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the interfacial effects between Ni(OH)2 and MnO optimizes the surface energy states of NiMn AG, improving the adsorption efficiency of the reaction intermediates for EGOR and further promoting the efficient cleavage of C–C to form formate. Additionally, the incorporation of MnO stabilizes the overall energy state during violent bond-breaking processes. This work sheds light on a new methodology to design bimetallic catalysts assisted by EGOR for decoupled green hydrogen production.

Electronic-grade epitaxial (111) KTaO3 heterostructures.

KTaO3 heterostructures have recently attracted attention as model systems to study the interplay of quantum paraelectricity, spin-orbit coupling, and superconductivity. However, the high and low vapor pressures of potassium and tantalum present processing challenges to creating heterostructure interfaces clean enough to reveal the intrinsic quantum properties. Here, we report superconducting heterostructures based on high-quality epitaxial (111) KTaO3 thin films using an adsorption-controlled hybrid PLD to overcome the vapor pressure mismatch. Electrical and structural characterizations reveal that the higher-quality heterostructure interface between amorphous LaAlO3 and KTaO3 thin films supports a two-dimensional electron gas with substantially higher electron mobility, superconducting transition temperature, and critical current density than that in bulk single-crystal KTaO3-based heterostructures. Our hybrid approach may enable epitaxial growth of other alkali metal-based oxides that lie beyond the capabilities of conventional methods.

Interface-modulated kinetic differentials in electron and hole transfer rates as a key design principle for redox photocatalysis by Sb2VO5/QD heterostructures.

The efficient conversion of solar energy to chemical energy represents a critical bottleneck to the energy transition. Photocatalytic splitting of water to generate solar fuels is a promising solution. Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are prime candidates for light-harvesting components of photocatalytic heterostructures, given their size-dependent photophysical properties and band-edge energies. A promising series of heterostructured photocatalysts interface QDs with transition-metal oxides which embed midgap electronic states derived from the stereochemically active electron lone pairs of p-block cations. Here, we examine the thermodynamic driving forces and dynamics of charge separation in Sb2VO5/CdSe QD heterostructures, wherein a high density of Sb 5s2-derived midgap states are prospective acceptors for photogenerated holes. Hard-x-ray valence band photoemission spectroscopy measurements of Sb2VO5/CdSe QD heterostructures were used to deduce thermodynamic driving forces for charge separation. Interfacial charge transfer dynamics in the heterostructures were examined as a function of the mode of interfacial connectivity, contrasting heterostructures with direct interfaces assembled by successive ion layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) and interfaces comprising molecular bridges assembled by linker-assisted assembly (LAA). Transient absorption spectroscopy measurements indicate ultrafast (<2ps) electron and hole transfer in SILAR-derived heterostructures, whereas LAA-derived heterostructures show orders of magnitude differentials in the kinetics of hole (<100ps) and electron (∼1ns) transfer. The interface-modulated kinetic differentials in electron and hole transfer rates underpin the more effective charge separation, reduced charge recombination, and greater photocatalytic efficiency observed for the LAA-derived Sb2VO5/CdSe QD heterostructures.

Improved broadband design of SiC/MWCNT absorbing materials through synergistic regulation of heterointerface structure and triple periodic minimal surface meta-structure

SiC/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites are considered to be promising materials for high-temperature electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption due to their strong thermal stability and tunable dielectric properties. However, the EMW absorption performance of these composites is limited by poor impedance matching. This study proposes a novel multiscale structure synergistic regulation approach to enhance EMW absorption performance, which involves constructing a heterointerface structure and a triple periodic minimal surface (TPMS) meta-structure. The addition of a SiO2 shell as an impedance layer to the SiC/MWCNT core to improve the intrinsic impedance. Meanwhile, the heterointerface between the core-shell structure leads to multiple interface polarization, significantly enhancing EMW energy dissipation. Consequently, the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of SiO2–SiC/MWCNT composites increased from 0.88 to 4.56 GHz. Furthermore, a TPMS meta-structure, fabricated by three-dimensional (3D) printing and sol infiltration technology, is developed to further improve impedance matching with the equivalent electromagnetic effect. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the SiO2–SiC/MWCNT TPMS meta-structure exhibits broadband EMW absorption performance, with the EAB reaching 7.2 GHz. This improvement is attributed to the synergistic regulation of the heterointerface structure and TPMS meta-structure, which provides a good balance between the requirements of electromagnetic loss and impedance matching. Additionally, the composites exhibit excellent oxidation resistance, as their EAB remains almost unchanged after exposure to 1000 °C for 6 h. This research offers a new design paradigm for ultrabroadband design of the nonmagnetic high-temperature absorbing materials.

Large Tunable Spin-to-Charge Conversion in Ni80Fe20/Molybdenum Disulfide by Cu Insertion.

Spin-to-charge conversion at the interface between magnetic materials and transition metal dichalcogenides has drawn great interest in the research efforts to develop fast and ultralow power consumption devices for spintronic applications. Here, we report room temperature observations of spin-to-charge conversion arising from the interface of Ni80Fe20 (Py) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). This phenomenon can be characterized by the inverse Edelstein effect length (λIEE), which is enhanced with decreasing MoS2 thicknesses, demonstrating the dominant role of spin-orbital coupling (SOC) in MoS2. The spin-to-charge conversion can be significantly improved by inserting a Cu interlayer between Py and MoS2, suggesting that the Cu interlayer can prevent magnetic proximity effect from the Py layer and protect the SOC on the MoS2 surface from exchange interactions with Py. Furthermore, the Cu-MoS2 interface can enhance the spin current and improve electronic transport. Our results suggest that tailoring the interface of magnetic heterostructures provides an alternative strategy for the development of spintronic devices to achieve higher spin-to-charge conversion efficiencies.