Photovoltammetry and surface analysis of MoSe2 thin films prepared by an intercalation-exfoliation method

Thin MoSe2 films on Ti substrates were prepared by an intercalation-exfoliation method. Large-area semiconductor films were obtained by this technique. Characterization of these films was done by cyclic voltammetry, x-ray diffraction, and surface-analysis techniques. Highly reproducible cyclic voltammograms were obtained, both in 5 mM ferrocene and 5 mM chloranil solutions in acetonitrile, with and without illumination. X-ray diffraction analyses showed the presence of a highly textured MoSe2 film. The MoSe2 particles, 0.5 to 5 mu M diam, in the film behave as short-circuited microcells in which both reduction and oxidation processes can take place in solution.