Vapor-phase synthesis of MXenes could expand their technological applications
MXenes are two-dimensional nanomaterials first synthesized at Drexel University in 2011. They have been recognized by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry as an emerging technology with "true potential to transform our world." But their widespread use has thus far been limited by the complicated process required to produce them.
Two-dimensional nanomaterials known as MXenes have the potential to revolutionize various technologies, but their widespread adoption has been hindered by complex production methods. Researchers from Drexel University, collaborating with scientists from the University of Pennsylvania and Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd., have discovered that chemical vapor deposition (CVD) can be adapted to create MXenes more efficiently and at a potentially lower cost.
This new approach bypasses the need for the expensive and toxic liquid etching process currently used to produce MXenes.
In the new CVD method, titanium powder is mixed with methane gas and heated in a quartz tube furnace. As the mixture cools, MXene forms on the quartz substrate, eliminating the need for a separate precursor material and the hazardous etching process. The researchers were able to tailor the resulting MXene by controlling the exposed titanium surface area and confining the reaction within a narrow carrier tube.
This led to the formation of rounded structures called spherulites, which organizes into porous nanocrystal networks of flakes tens of micrometers across.
The scalability and control offered by this gas-to-solid MXene synthesis process could enable the production of large-area, wafer-scale crystals and conducting films, opening up new possibilities for electronics, optical communication, and quantum computing technologies. The low cost of the precursor materials and the elimination of toxic waste generation also make this method more environmentally friendly.
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