This　paper　reports　a　facile,　cost　effective　method　that　uses　an　aqueous　hydrothermal　process　for　synthesizing　two-dimensional　molybdenum　disulphide　(MoS　2　)　monolayer　quantum　dots　(QDs)　and　their　potential　applications　in　flexible　memristive　devices.　High-resolution　transmission　electron　microscopy　and　atomic　force　microscopy　images　confirmed　that　the　diameters　of　the　synthesized　MoS　2　QDs　with　irregular　shapes　were　in　the　range　between　3　and　6　nm;　their　thicknesses　were　confirmed　to　lie　between　1.0　and　0.8　nm,　a　clear　indication　that　a　monolayer　of　MoS　2　QDs　had　been　synthesized.　Photoluminescence　(PL)　and　time-resolved　PL　spectra　of　the　MoS　2　QDs　revealed　a　strong　emission　in　the　blue　region　with　a　slower　decay　constant.　Memristive　devices　fabricated　by　incorporating　MoS　2　QDs　between　poly(methylsilsesquioxane)　ultrathin　layers,　which　had　been　deposited　on　poly(ethylene　terephthalate),　demonstrated　a　high　ON-OFF　current　ratio　of　∼10　4　,　stable　retention,　and　excellent　endurance　in　the　relaxed　state;　these　devices　were　also　demonstrated　to　function　properly　during　bending　and　in　a　bent　state.　The　flexible　memristive　devices　demonstrated　an　OFF　state　with　a　very　low　current　of　10　−6　A.　These　results　clearly　show　that　ultrathin　two-dimensional　QDs　have　promising　applications　in　high-performance　flexible　memristive　devices.　©　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.