Compared with semiconducting materials, tungsten disulfide nanomaterials exhibit higher light absorption, and photocatalytic properties are another important property. For semiconductor materials, light absorption properties are very important, especially for photocatalysis. When WS₂ absorbs photons, transitions between in-band, out-of-band, and impurity defects occur, which can form specific absorption spectra. The characteristic absorption peak of bulk WS₂ is near the wavelength of 910 nm and is located in the near-infrared (NIR) region. By forming nanostructures, a blue shift of the WS₂ characteristic absorption peak can be observed.

Due to the rapid growth of the global population and rapid socio-economic development, energy and environmental issues have received widespread attention. As a transition metal disulfide, tungsten disulfide nanomaterials have made important research advances in the field of energy conversion and storage. Given the versatility and rich microstructure of these materials, the plasticity and controlled synthesis of tungsten disulfide (WS₂) nanomaterials are of interest to researchers.

An article published in the Journal of Solid State Chemistry by Schutte et al. illustrates that crystal structures of tungsten disulfide (WS₂) and tungsten diselenide (WSe₂) host the same type of layered structure as molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂). In addition to the common hexagonal 2H form of WS₂, a rhombohedral form, 3R-WS₂, has also been reported, which is isotypic to the rhombohedral form of MoS₂.

The crystal structure of tungsten disulfide (WS₂) belongs to the P6₃/mmc space group with lattice parameters of a = 0.31532 nm and c = 1.2323 nm measured by X-ray diffraction. As a typical representative of two-dimensional layered transition metal dichloride (TMDC) materials with a structure consisting of 0.6-0.7 nm thick X-M-X interlayers (M is transition metal; X = S, Se, Te).

In recent years, tungsten disulfide nanomaterials (WS₂NM) have had important applications in cancer therapy. Researchers have synthesized chitosan-functionalized WS₂ nanocomposites (CS/ WS₂/Ru) implanted with ruthenium nanoparticles. Chitosan is biocompatible and non-toxic, making it an excellent candidate for drug delivery systems. On the other hand, the biological properties of chitosan can be improved due to the small size and large surface area of WS₂.

Biocompatibility of tungsten disulfide nanomaterials (WS₂NM) such as tungsten disulfide inorganic nanotubes, and fullerene-like nanoparticles with salivary gland cells. There are currently no adequate methods to treat oral diseases due to impaired salivary gland function. The researchers investigated the biocompatibility of WS₂ in salivary gland cells. In the study, multi-walled inorganic nanotubes (INT- WS₂) and inorganic fullerene-like nanoparticles (IF WS₂) were synthesized in a reactor that can be used at high temperatures.

Recently, WS₂NM-based nanocarriers have been developed in drug delivery systems, which also promote their application in tissue engineering. Due to the electrical properties of WS₂, researchers have designed tungsten disulfide nanomaterials (WS₂NM)-based electro-responsive drug delivery systems. Conventional drug delivery systems, such as oral and injectable, require higher concentrations of drugs to see therapeutic effects, and administering too much of the drug can lead to side effects in some patients.

The high atomic number and near-infrared absorption of tungsten disulfide quantum dots (WS₂-QDs) (3 nm and 28 nm) of tungsten disulfide nanomaterials enable their synthesis as enhancers for X-ray computed tomography (CT)/photoacoustic imaging (PA), boosting their applications in bioimaging and radiotherapy.

With the development of nanotechnology, tungsten disulfide nanomaterials (WS₂NM) have been a new choice for optical biosensors. Researchers reported the use of a simple method to create a hybrid material consisting of WS₂ nanosheets and hydroxylated MWCNTs (WS₂/MWCNTs-OH). The substrate was screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE), which has the advantage of requiring minimal cost and being disposable and energy efficient. Modification with WS₂/MWCNTs-OH composites improved the rate of sensitive and selective behavior.

Tungsten disulfide nanomaterials can be successfully used in biosensors and nanomedicine, such as observation of DNA hybridization, enzymes, and proteins, as well as environmental contamination and medical diagnostics. For a long time, electrochemical biosensors, such as semiconductors and screen-printed electrodes, have been used for various applications in numerous fields.