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On the Synthesis of Low-Cost, Titanium-Based MXenes

C. Li^,1, S. Kota^,2, C. Hu^,2, M.W. Barsoum^,2

¹ Light Industry College of Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, China
² Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 19104

received May 31, 2016, received in revised form July 17, 2016, accepted July 19, 2016

Vol. 7, No. 3, Pages 301-306   DOI: 10.4416/JCST2016-00042

Abstract

Herein we report methods to synthesize two MAX phases, Ti₂AlC and Ti₃AlC₂, starting with rutile (TiO₂), graphite and aluminum powders as raw materials. Adjusting the initial ratios of the raw materials led to the synthesis of multi-phase mixtures containing predominantly Ti₂AlC-Al₂O₃ or Ti₃AlC₂-Al₂O₃. Free-standing Ti₂CT_x and Ti₃C₂T_x MXene films were successfully produced by etching the powders in a solution of hydrochloric acid with pre-dissolved lithium fluoride followed by sonication in water to produce colloidal suspensions of atomically thin MXene flakes. The Ti₃C₂T_x films produced from the lower-cost precursors retained the high electrical conductivity previously reported for this material. Since starting with rutile instead of Ti metal powders reduces the cost of the raw materials by a factor of about 2.6, this new, scalable approach to MXene synthesis is more economical.

Keywords

MAX phase, MXene, ceramics, 2D materials, nanomaterials

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