Synthesis of tin disulfide single crystals for nano-layer exfoliation

Efficient and inexpensive method of chemical transport based on Ag2S catalyst was used to produce relatively large crystals of SnS2, up to 5 mm in linear size. Good quality of the obtained layered crystals of SnS2 was confirmed by X-ray, SEM, EDX and Raman measurements, however the layers appeared to be slightly twisted in relation to each other. Nanometric (down to c.a. 10 nm) layers of SnS2 on a Si substrate were obtained by mechanical exfoliation.