Rational control of the interlayer space inside two-dimensional titanium carbides for highly efficient uranium removal and imprisonment

Abstract

Though two-dimensional early transition metal carbides and carbonitrides (MXenes) have attracted extensive interest recently, their superb abilities in various scientific applications always suffer from the very narrow interlayer space inside the multilayered structure. Here we demonstrate an unprecedented large adsorption capacity enhancement of Ti₃C₂T_x toward radionuclide removal via a hydrated intercalation strategy. By rational control of the interlayer space, the potential for imprisoning the representative actinide U(VI) inside multilayered Ti₃C₂T_x was also confirmed.