Chromium-doped MoS2 “inorganic fullerene” nanoparticles prepared by topotactic reaction from oxosalt precursor

Hollow sulfides nanoparticles of MoS2, Cr2S3 and Mo0.9Cr0.1S2 (“inorganic fullerenes”) were prepared from SrMo(Cr)O4 precursors by means of a topotactic solid-gas reaction with H2S/CCl4 mixture. The obtained hollow sulfide nanoparticles have narrow size distributions and high specific surface areas. In the Mo-Cr doped sulfide material, chromium is homogeneously distributed substituting molybdenum within the MoS2 layers. While Cr2S3 hollow particles are inefficient as lubricant additive, introduction of chromium into MoS2 improves the tribological properties of the “inorganic fullerene” material.