Soft Chemical Synthesis of HxCrS2: An Antiferromagnetic Material with Alternating Amorphous and Crystalline Layers.

We report a new HxCrS2-based crystalline/amorphous layered material synthesized by soft chemical methods. We study the structural nature and composition of this material with atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), revealing a complex structure consisting of alternating layers of amorphous and crystalline lamellae. Furthermore, the magnetic properties show evidence for increased magnetic frustration compared to the parent compound NaCrS2. Finally, we show that this material can be exfoliated, thus providing a facile synthesis method for chromium-sulfide-based ultrathin layers. The material reported herein can not only be a source of new thin TMD-related sheets for potential application in catalysis but also be of interest for realizing new 2D magnetic materials.