Correlation of Valence electron structure and properties of monolayer graphene and MX2 (M=Mo, W; X=S, Se, Te): Empirical Electron Theory (EET) investigation

Abstract

The atomically thin layers of transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) materials have garnered considerable attention due to their exceptional electrical, optical, mechanical, and thermal properties. Hence, it is important to investigate the mechanism of their excellent properties. In this paper, the study is focused on the correlation between valence electron structures (VESs) and mechanical as well as thermal properties of graphene and MX₂ (M = Mo, W; X = S, Se, Te) for revealing their essential mechanisms of properties with an empirical electron theory (EET). A model of Young's modulus is built for the monolayer graphene and MX₂ (M = Mo, W; X = S, Se, Te) based on the VES, which has been verified by the observed ones of elements in the 4th to 6th periods in the periodic table of elements. The calculated bond lengths and mechanical and thermal properties of graphene and MX₂ are in good agreement with experimental ones. The study reveals that the thermal and mechanical properties of MX₂ strongly depend on their valence electron structures. It shows that the melting point, cohesive energy, thermal conductivity, and Young's modulus are modulated by covalence electron pair n_A, the averaged covalence electron per atom n_c/atom, covalence electron pair n_A and linear density of covalent electron on the strongest bond ρ_l, respectively. The study helps explain the thermal and mechanical properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials and also supplies a reference for their design with high performance by modulating their valence electron structures.