Currently, my work focuses on the characterization and optimization of the synthesis of single-to-triple wall WS2 nanotubes. These nanotubes are produced by applying inductively coupled radio-frequency plasma irradiation on multiwall INT-WS2. Calculations based on density functional tight-binding theory (DFTB) predict that under highly exergonic conditions, the reaction could be driven into a “window” of (meta-) stability, where 1–3-layer nanotubes will be formed. Indeed, in this study, single- to triple-wall WS2 nanotubes with a diameter of 3–7 nm and a length of 20–100 nm were produced. (A. Zak and V. Brüser)
TEM images of daughter WS2 nanotubes obtained by plasma ablation of multiwall inorganic nanotube (INT)-WS2 at 600 W for 40 min: (a) A large number of daughter nanotubes next to a treated multiwall nanotube; (b) A group of daughter nanotubes isolated from plasma-treated multiwall WS2 nanotubes by sonication.