The reaction stoichiometry indicates a large excess of sulfur, making tungsten the limiting reagent. Therefore, by measuring the mass of the NMLs before and after TGA analysis and comparing it with the completed reaction calculated based on the amount of reactants, both the yield of reaction and the number of ligands on the surface are quantifiable. Calculations indicate that thiols not only improve the dispersion, but also improve the yield of the reaction, as indicated by the increase in yield from 73% for pure oleylamine synthesis to 84% for 1T'-WS2 with DDT, 86 % for 1T'-WS2 with HDT, and 90% for 1T'-WS2 with ODT.