Large-Area Ti3C2Tx-MXene Coating: Toward Industrial-Scale Fabrication and Molecular Separation.

ABSTRACT

Large-scale fabrication of MXene films is in high demand for various applications, but it remains difficult to meet industrial requirements. In this study, we develop a slot-die coating method for the preparation of large-area MXene membranes. The technique allows the fabrication of continuous and scalable coatings with a rapid coating speed of 6 mm s-1. The thickness can be readily controlled from the nanometer scale to the micrometer scale, and the alignment of the nanosheet is enhanced by the shear force of the slot-die head. Molecular separation experiments employing a film with a thickness of approximately 100 nm are performed. A nanofiltration performance with water permeance of 190 LMH/bar and molecular weight cutoff of 269 Da is achieved, surpassing previously reported results obtained using MXene-based nanofiltration membranes. The stability of the membrane is highlighted by its nanofiltration performance of 30 days under harsh oxidizing conditions, which is the longest operation ever achieved for a 2D material-based membrane. The extraordinary stability of the film suggests its high potential for industrial and practical applications. The antioxidizing phenomena can be attributed to self-protection of the MXene surface by adsorbed organic molecules, which are particularly stabilized with positively charged molecules via chemisorption.