Enhanced Oxidation-Resistant and Conductivity in MXene Films with Seamless Heterostructure.

ABSTRACT

MXene-based films have garnered significant attention for their remarkable electrical and mechanical properties. Nevertheless, the practical application of MXene is impeded by its intrinsic instability caused by spontaneous oxidation. The traditional anti-oxidative strategies frequently lead to a compromise in stability, electrical conductivity, and mechanical properties. In this study, a novel approach is proposed involving metal nano-armoring, wherein a copper layer with nano thickness is deposited onto MXene film surfaces to establish a uniform and seamless heterogeneous interface (MXene@Cu). The precise tunability and uniformity of this heterostructure are consistently demonstrated through both theoretical calculations and experimental results. The MXene@Cu films exhibit exceptional electrical conductivity of 1.17 × 106 S m-1, electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness of 77.1 dB, and tensile strength of 43.4 MPa. More importantly, this heterostructure significantly improves MXene's stability against oxidation. After exposure to air for 30 days, the resultant MXene@Cu films exhibit a remarkable conductivity retention of 72.0%, significantly exceeding that of pristine MXene films (44.3%). This scalable synthesis approach holds significant promise for electronic device applications, particularly in electromagnetic shielding and thermal management.