Patent ID: 7955857

Claim:
A spray pyrolysis method for the synthesis of closed-structure nanoparticles of metal chalcogenides having a lamellar crystallographic structure, of the general formula (I) M a X b , said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a solution of at least one precursor having the formula (II) (A) c M(X) d dissolved in a solvent, (b) providing a liquid aerosol by atomizing the solution obtained in step a) into fine droplets in suspension in an inert carrier gas, and (c) pyrolyzing the liquid aerosol obtained in step c); wherein, in formulas (I) and (II): A represents a cation, M represents a transition metal or a metal from group III, IV or V of the periodic table of the elements, X represents a chalcogen selected from oxygen, sulfur, selenium and tellurium, a and b each represents the proportion of metal and of chalcogen, respectively, in formula (I), c and d each represents the proportion of cations and of chalcogens, respectively, in formula (II), M and X represent a metal and a chalcogen, respectively, of a metal chalcogenide M a X b having a lamellar crystallographic structure.