Hexane-assisted sol–gel synthesis of Zn and MoS 2 double-doped TiO 2 nanocomposites for lubrication-relevant surface applications

A structurally stable Zn–MoS 2 –TiO 2 nanocomposite was successfully produced by wet-impregnation doping and a hexane-assisted TiCl 4 sol–gel technique. In this present research work, a novel methodology of hexane-assisted sol–gel synthesis with precise control of reaction parameters was adopted, which helped in maintaining the stability of the anatase TiO 2 structure while improving its surface and interfacial characteristics for lubrication applications. XRD analysis confirmed that the anatase phase was maintained after Zn and MoS 2 inclusion, with an average crystallite size of 15–16 nm. The appearance of the characteristic MoS 2 (002) peak at 14.23° verified the successful integration of stacked MoS 2 nanosheets without structural degradation. Consistent element distribution was confirmed by EDS analysis, and a nanoflower-like morphology was revealed by SEM. While the layered structure of MoS 2 introduced controlled heterogeneity, DLS-zeta analysis showed enhanced dispersion stability after Zn doping (PDI < 0.3). UV-DRS analysis revealed that the absorption edges for Zn–TiO 2 and TiO 2 were approximately 380 nm and 390 nm, respectively. This nanocomposite’s dual absorption properties (∼380 nm and ∼600 nm) indicated the existence of strong interfacial electronic interactions. FTIR spectra confirmed the successful surface modification and revealed the presence of Mo–S and Ti–O bonds. All things considered, a clear structure-property relationship is demonstrated by the combination of improved dispersion behaviour, structural stability, and interfacial electronic modulation. These physicochemical improvements suggest the material’s suitability for lubrication-related applications.