From Bulk Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS₂) to Suspensions of Exfoliated MoS₂ in an Aqueous Medium and Their Applications

Two-dimensional (2D) layered materials like graphene, transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), boron nitrides, etc., exhibit unique and fascinating properties, such as high surface-to-volume ratio, inherent mechanical flexibility and robustness, tunable bandgap, and high carrier mobility, which makes them an apt candidate for flexible electronics with low consumption of power. Because of these properties, they are in tremendous demand for advancement in energy, environmental, and biomedical sectors developed through various technologies. The production and scalability of these materials must be sustainable and ecofriendly to utilize these unique properties in the real world. Here, in this current review, we review molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂ nanosheets) in detail, focusing on exfoliated MoS₂ in water and the applicability of aqueous MoS₂ suspensions in various fields. The exfoliation of MoS₂ results in the formation of single or few-layered MoS₂. Therefore, this Review focuses on the few layers of exfoliated MoS₂ that have the additional properties of 2D layered materials and higher excellent compatibility for integration than existing conventional Si tools. Hence, a few layers of exfoliated MoS₂ are widely explored in biosensing, gas sensing, catalysis, photodetectors, energy storage devices, a light-emitting diode (LED), adsorption, etc. This review covers the numerous methodologies to exfoliate MoS₂, focusing on the various published methodologies to obtain nanosheets of MoS₂ from water solutions and their use.