Simple Chemical Treatment Makes Next-Gen Electronics More Reliable

A team of international researchers has discovered that a simple chemical treatment can enhance the strength and reliability of one of the world’s thinnest materials for use in future electronics.

The study, published in Nature Communications, demonstrates that treating monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) with a specialized acid not only repairs tiny defects in the material but also enhances its durability and electrical conductivity consistency.

These improvements are crucial for using MoS₂ in next-generation devices such as flexible smartphones, ultra-efficient transistors and wearable sensors.

“As we are approaching the physical limits of miniaturization in silicon-based electronics, leading semiconductor companies and academic labs are actively exploring new materials to replace or complement existing technology,” UC Merced mechanical engineering Professor Mehmet Z. Baykara said. “While 2D materials like MoS₂ are attractive in this regard, major challenges remain in terms of scalability, integration and reliability.”

Baykara and his students collaborated on the project with colleagues at the University of Toronto as well as researchers from Japan and China. Baykara’s lab played a key role in imaging the material at the atomic level.

MoS₂ is just 3 atoms thick and has attracted attention for its potential to replace silicon in electronics. But tiny defects — missing atoms called vacancies — can weaken the material and cause it to fail under stress or behave unpredictably in circuits.

To address this issue, the team employed a non-oxidizing superacid known as TFSI. This treatment filled in the atomic gaps and smoothed out the material’s electrical behavior. Treated samples were twice as resistant to long-term stress and lasted 10 times longer in wear tests compared to untreated ones. They also demonstrated a significantly more even flow of electricity, which is crucial for preventing device failure.

The researchers employed advanced tools, including atomic-resolution microscopes and computer simulations, to gain a deeper understanding of how the treatment worked. They found that the acid not only repaired the defects but also altered how cracks form and spread, making the material more resilient.

“Our collaborative work shows that a simple chemical treatment aimed at defect healing leads to drastic improvements in the mechanical reliability and electronic homogeneity of MoS₂, significantly improving its potential to be used in industrial-scale electronic device applications,” Baykara said.

These findings could help pave the way for more reliable and longer-lasting electronics, especially in areas where devices need to be thin, flexible and energy-efficient. The team hopes to apply the same approach to other ultra-thin materials and explore how it could improve everything from solar panels to medical sensors.

“We are aiming to enhance our atomic-resolution imaging methodology with machine learning approaches in the near future, facilitating the rapid detection and classification of atomic-scale defects that tightly control the properties of 2D materials,” Baykara said.