Issue 6, 2021

Improved synthesis of Ti3C2Tx MXenes resulting in exceptional electrical conductivity, high synthesis yield, and enhanced capacitance

Abstract

For the first time, an “Evaporated-Nitrogen” Minimally Intensive Layer Delamination (EN-MILD) synthesis approach is reported to synthesize exceptionally high quality MXene sheets. In the EN-MILD method, the concentrations of acids and Li-ions are continuously increased during the etching process. By implementing the EN-MILD approach, the electrical conductivity increases up to 2.4 × 104 S cm−1, which is the highest reported value to date for Ti3C2Tx MXenes (a traditional MILD approach results in a conductivity of 5.8 × 103 S cm−1). This significant improvement in electrical conductivity arises from the high quality of the synthesized MXene sheets as well as a larger flake size. The EN-MILD synthesis approach also offers high yield of delaminated single MXene layers (up to ∼60% after the first round of washing/centrifugation) and high colloidal concentrations (up to 31 mg ml−1). The working electrode prepared from free-standing MXene paper shows an exceptional capacitance of ≈490 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 in a supercapacitor, which is among the highest values reported for MXene-based supercapacitor electrodes. The exceptional electrical conductivity, high yield of delaminated MXene single layers, and high colloidal concentration of the EN-MILD approach significantly expand the applications of MXenes.

Graphical abstract: Improved synthesis of Ti3C2Tx MXenes resulting in exceptional electrical conductivity, high synthesis yield, and enhanced capacitance

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
16 9 2020
Accepted
10 1 2021
First published
11 1 2021

Nanoscale, 2021,13, 3572-3580

Improved synthesis of Ti3C2Tx MXenes resulting in exceptional electrical conductivity, high synthesis yield, and enhanced capacitance

A. Shayesteh Zeraati, S. A. Mirkhani, P. Sun, M. Naguib, P. V. Braun and U. Sundararaj, Nanoscale, 2021, 13, 3572 DOI: 10.1039/D0NR06671K

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