Molybdenum disulfide, a multifunctional and remarkable material.

The aim of this work is to review the chemical and physical properties of layered molybdenum disulfide, The three polymorphic/polytypic modifications of the compound were found, the polytypes 2H (molybdenite) and 3R are semiconductors while the polymorph IT is an electronic conductor. 2H-MoS2, has several important industrial applications as hydrotreatment catalysts, energy storage devices, solar cells, solid lubricants, among others. When intercalated, the 2H phase changes to a distorted IT phase, producing unstable intercalation compounds that can be exfoliated in solution, producing single layers and consequently nanocomposites. The direct synthesis of the IT phase produces stable intercalation compounds. Recently molybdenum disulfide was prepared as nanotubes and fulerene-like structures that bring new insights in the investigation of this important material.