Orientation and morphology of molybdenum sulfide catalysts supported on titania particles, observed by using high-resolution electron microscopy Original Research Article

A high-resolution electron microscope (HREM) was used to study molybdenum sulfide catalysts supported on anatase-type titania. A large number of MoS2 crystallites with lateral dimensions of 5–10 nm were observed in HREM micrographs of the catalyst sulfided in a stream of H2S/N2. These crystallites maintained epitaxial relationships with the anatase surface: for instance, (1 1 0) MoS2 // (0 0 1) anatase with [0 0 1] MoS2 // [1 1 0] anatase or (1 1 0) MoS2 // (1 1 0) anatase with [0 0 1] MoS2 // [0 0 1] anatase. Because of these relationships, edge-bonded MoS2 crystallites were selectively formed on the anatase-type titania surface.