Functionalized MXene ink enables environmentally stable printed electronics.

Establishing dependable, cost-effective electrical connections is vital for enhancing device performance and shrinking electronic circuits. MXenes, combining excellent electrical conductivity, high breakdown voltage, solution processability, and two-dimensional morphology, are promising candidates for contacts in microelectronics. However, their hydrophilic surfaces, which enable spontaneous environmental degradation and poor dispersion stability in organic solvents, have restricted certain electronic applications. Herein, electrohydrodynamic printing technique is used to fabricate fully solution-processed thin-film transistors with alkylated 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine functionalized Ti3C2Tx (AD-MXene) as source, drain, and gate electrodes. The AD-MXene has excellent dispersion stability in ethanol, which is required for electrohydrodynamic printing, and maintains high electrical conductivity. It outperformed conventional vacuum-deposited Au and Al electrodes, providing thin-film transistors with good environmental stability due to its hydrophobicity. Further, thin-film transistors are integrated into logic gates and one-transistor-one-memory cells. This work, unveiling the ligand-functionalized MXenes' potential in printed electrical contacts, promotes environmentally robust MXene-based electronics (MXetronics).

Universal Ligands for Dispersion of Two-Dimensional MXene in Organic Solvents.

Ligands can control the surface chemistry, physicochemical properties, processing, and applications of nanomaterials. MXenes are the fastest growing family of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, showing promise for energy, electronic, and environmental applications. However, complex oxidation states, surface terminal groups, and interaction with the environment have hindered the development of organic ligands suitable for MXenes. Here, we demonstrate a simple, fast, scalable, and universally applicable ligand chemistry for MXenes using alkylated 3,4-dihydroxy-l-phenylalanine (ADOPA). Due to the strong hydrogen-bonding and π-electron interactions between the catechol head and surface terminal groups of MXenes and the presence of a hydrophobic fluorinated alkyl tail compatible with organic solvents, the ADOPA ligands functionalize MXene surfaces under mild reaction conditions without sacrificing their properties. Stable colloidal solutions and highly concentrated liquid crystals of various MXenes, including Ti2CTx, Nb2CTx, V2CTx, Mo2CTx, Ti3C2Tx, Ti3CNTx, Mo2TiC2Tx, Mo2Ti2C3Tx, and Ti4N3Tx, have been produced in various organic solvents. Such products offer excellent electrical conductivity, improved oxidation stability, and excellent processability, enabling applications in flexible electrodes and electromagnetic interference shielding.

Tunable Ti3C2Tx MXene-Derived TiO2 Nanocrystals at Controlled pH and Temperature.

While two-dimensional (2D) Ti3C2Tx MXene in aqueous dispersions spontaneously oxidizes into titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanocrystals, the crystallization mechanism has not been comprehensively understood and the resultant crystal structures are not controlled among three representative polymorphs: anatase, rutile, and brookite. In this study, such control on the lattice structures and domain sizes of the MXene-derived TiO2 crystallites is demonstrated by means of the oxidation conditions, pH, and temperature (3.0-11.0 and 20-100 °C, respectively). It is observed that the formation of anatase phase is preferred against rutile phase in more basic and hotter oxidizing solutions, and even 100% anatase can be obtained at pH 11.0 and 100 °C. At lower pH and temperature, the portion of rutile phase increases such that it reaches ∼70% at pH 3 and 20 °C. Under certain circumstances, small portion of brookite phase is also observed. Smaller domain sizes of both anatase and rutile phases are observed in more basic oxidizing solutions and at lower temperatures. Based on these experimental results, we propose the crystallization mechanism in which the oxidative dissociation of Ti3C2Tx first produces Ti ions as the intermediate state, and they bind to abundant oxygen in the aqueous dispersions, and nucleate and crystallize into TiO2.

Fast and High-Yield Anhydrous Synthesis of Ti3 C2 Tx MXene with High Electrical Conductivity and Exceptional Mechanical Strength.

2D transition metal carbides or nitrides (MXenes) have attracted considerable attention from materials scientists and engineers owing to their physicochemical properties. Currently, MXenes are synthesized from MAX-phase precursors using aqueous HF. Here, in order to enhance the production of MXenes, an anhydrous etching solution is proposed, consisting of dimethylsulfoxide as solvent with its high boiling point, NH4 HF2 as an etchant, CH3 SO3 H as an acid, and NH4 PF6 as an intercalant. The reaction temperature can be increased up to 100 °C to accelerate the etching and delamination of Ti3 AlC2 MAX crystals; in addition, the destructive side reaction of the produced Ti3 C2 Tx MXene is suppressed in the etchant. Consequently, the etching reaction is completed in 4 h at 100 °C and produces high-quality monolayer Ti3 C2 Tx with an electrical conductivity of 8200 S cm-1 and yield of over 70%. The Ti3 C2 Tx MXene fabricated via this modified synthesis exhibits different surface structures and properties arising from more F-terminations than those of Ti3 C2 Tx synthesized in aqueous HF2 T. The atypical surface structure of Ti3 C2 Tx MXene results in an exceptionally high ultimate tensile strength (167 ± 8 MPa), which is five times larger than those of Ti3 C2 Tx MXenes synthesized in aqueous HF solution (31.7 ± 7.8 MPa).

Mechanism and Kinetics of Oxidation Reaction of Aqueous Ti3C2Tx Suspensions at Different pHs and Temperatures.

Understanding the oxidation reaction of aqueous Ti3C2Tx MXene suspensions is very important for fostering fundamental academic studies as well as widespread industrial applications. Herein, we investigated the mechanism and kinetics of the oxidation reaction of aqueous Ti3C2Tx suspensions at various pH and temperature conditions. Through comprehensive analysis, the mechanism of the chemical oxidative degradation of aqueous Ti3C2Tx colloids was established. Chemical oxidation produces solid products such as TiO2 and amorphous carbon as well as various gaseous species including CH4, CO, CO2, and HF. Additionally, our comprehensive kinetic study proposes that aqueous Ti3C2Tx dispersions are degraded via an acid-catalyzed oxidation reaction, where, under acidic conditions, the protonation of the hydroxyl terminal groups on the Ti3C2Tx flakes induces electron localization on titanium atoms and accelerates their oxidation reaction. In contrast, under basic conditions, the electrostatically alkali-metalized hydroxyl intermediates forming a bulky solvent cage results in less electron localization on titanium atoms, and thus retards their oxidative degradation.

Improving oxidation stability of 2D MXenes: synthesis, storage media, and conditions.

Understanding and preventing oxidative degradation of MXene suspensions is essential for fostering fundamental academic studies and facilitating widespread industrial applications. Owing to their outstanding electrical, electrochemical, optoelectronic, and mechanical properties, MXenes, an emerging class of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, show promising state-of-the-art performances in various applications including electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, terahertz shielding, electrochemical energy storage, triboelectric nanogenerators, thermal heaters, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), optoelectronics, and sensors. However, MXene synthesis using harsh chemical etching causes many defects or vacancies on the surface of the synthesized MXene flakes. Defective sites are vulnerable to oxidative degradation reactions with water and/or oxygen, which deteriorate the intrinsic properties of MXenes. In this review, we demonstrate the nature of oxidative degradation of MXenes and highlight the recent advancements in controlling the oxidation kinetics of MXenes with several promising strategic approaches, including careful control of the quality of the parent MAX phase, chemical etching conditions, defect passivation, dispersion medium, storage conditions, and polymer composites.

Nonpolar Organic Dispersion of 2D Ti3C2Tx MXene Flakes via Simultaneous Interfacial Chemical Grafting and Phase Transfer Method.

Herein, we demonstrate a simple and versatile way for preparing stable Ti3C2Tx MXene dispersions in nonpolar organic solvents through a simultaneous interfacial chemical grafting reaction and phase transfer method. Alkylphosphonic acid ligands were chemically grafted on the hydroxyl terminal groups of Ti3C2Tx flakes at the liquid-liquid interface between water and water-immiscible organic medium to form a covalent Ti-O-P bond via interfacial nucleophilic addition and sequential condensation reaction at room temperature; the surface-functionalized Ti3C2Tx flakes concurrently migrated from the aqueous phase to the organic phase. Unlike conventional surface chemical modification methods that require many complex and tedious steps, this is a simple and easy process for fabricating a Ti3C2Tx organic dispersion in various organic solvents, from highly polar to nonpolar. The nonpolar Ti3C2Tx dispersion in chloroform also exhibits strong oxidation resistance and stable long-term storage. This approach provides an opportunity for preparing MXene nanocomposites with nonpolar polymeric matrices that are soluble in organic media for future applications such as stretchable electrode.

Pd(II)/Cu(II)-Catalyzed Regio- and Stereoselective Synthesis of ( E)-3-Arylmethyleneisoindolin-1-ones Using Air as the Terminal Oxidant.

Regio- and stereoselective synthesis of ( E)-3-arylmethyleneisoindolin-1-ones via Pd(II)/Cu(II)-catalyzed one-pot C-C/C-N bond forming sequence between amides and styrenes is reported. This method provides facile and rapid access to a diverse range of such compounds using readily available starting materials under mild aerobic conditions with good functional group tolerance and high selectivity and efficiency. Further elaboration of the products obtained from this process enabled very short and efficient syntheses of aristolactam and indoloisoquinolinone alkaloids.

Palladium-Catalyzed Regioselective Synthesis of 3-Arylindoles from N-Ts-Anilines and Styrenes.

A Pd-catalyzed intermolecular oxidative annulation between N-Ts-anilines and styrenes was developed. This method offers a straightforward and robust approach to a wide range of 3-arylindoles using readily available starting materials with good functional-group tolerance and high regioselectivity and efficiency. Further elaboration of the products obtained from this process provided access to highly functionalized and structurally diverse indoles, for example, 3-(indol-3-yl)carbazoles, 1,9-dihydropyrrolo-[2,3-b]carbazoles, and 3'-aryl-3,5'-biindoles.