Since these thiols-synthesized NMLs are well-dispersed, we initially hypothesized that thiolates are attached to the surface of NMLs. Due to steric hindrance imparted by the long alkyl chain, the dispersion may then be improved. This is consistent with the colloidal stability enhancement induced by increasing the length of the thiol. However, in the following sections we will show that the surface is not passivated by thiols, and in fact OAm acts as the sole surface ligand present. PXRD has been performed on a drop-casted sample on a low background silicon sample holder. represents the PXRD diffractograms of 1T'-WS2 NMLs with the three different thiols used in the synthesis. PXRD can be a good method to measure the distance between layers in NMLs when they orient flat on the substrate during sample deposition and drying. The series of low-angle oscillations are characteristic of the interlayer distance of stacks of 2D materials and are observable for all three of the 1T'-WS2 NMLs synthesized with thiols, with remarkable coincidence in the oscillation peaks. The position of the smallest measured angle for all of the NMLs is at 7°, which corresponds to the reflection from the second oscillation, as the spacing between peaks is 3.5° (Figure ). The position of the peaks implies a distance between NMLs of 2.7 nm, which is in good agreement with the distance between nanosheets previously reported, which was measured by STEM imaging. Small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) was also performed on the well-dispersed WS2 NMLs obtained with the ODT protocol, confirming both the absence of aggregation in toluene, and illustrating their high colloidal stability. For comparison purposes, aggregation has also been induced by controlled addition of ethanol at different volumetric fractions. On slightly aggregated and aggregated NMLs (Figure ), SAXS measurements confirm that the thickness of 1T'-WS2 NMLs with an organic ligand layer is about 2.7 nm. It should be stressed that this value is independent of the thiol used during the synthesis (Figure ), suggesting that thiols are not the main stabilizing ligands here. Considering the thickness of the crystalline portion of a single monolayer which is reported as 0.6 nm, about 2 nm originates from the double ligand layer. This is much smaller (almost two times) than twice an OAm molecule, which shows that there is a strong interdigitating of the alkyl chains. Figure displays a photograph of colloidal dispersions of WS2 NMLs synthesized using the three thiols (DDT, HDT, and ODT) one month after synthesis. It confirms that the WS2 NMLs synthesized using the procedure with thiols are colloidally stable for an extended period of time.