Restacking of two-dimensional (2D) flakes reduces the accessibility of electrolyte ions and is a problem in energy storage and other applications. Organic molecules can be used to prevent restacking and keep the interlayer space open. Here, we report on a combined theoretical and experimental investigation of the interaction between 2D titanium carbide (MXene), Ti 3 C 2 T x , and glycine. From first principle calculations, we presented the functionalization of glycine on the Ti 3 C 2 O 2 surface, evidenced by the shared electrons between Ti and N atoms. To experimentally validate our predictions, we synthesized flexible freestanding films of Ti 3 C 2 T x /glycine hybrids. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the increased interlayer spacing and possible Ti–N bonding, respectively, which agree with our theoretical predictions. The Ti 3 C 2 T x /glycine hybrid films exhibited an improved rate and cycling performances compared to pristine Ti 3 C 2 T x , possibly due to better charge percolation within expanded Ti 3 C 2 T x .
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Structural and electronic properties of two-dimensional titanium carbo-oxides
Abstract This work was inspired by new experimental findings where we discovered a two-dimensional (2D) material comprised of titanium-oxide-based one-dimensional (1D) sub-nanometer filaments. Preliminary results suggest that the 2D material contains considerable amounts of carbon, C, in addition to titanium, Ti, and oxygen, O. The aim of this study is to investigate the low-energy, stable atomic forms of 2D titanium carbo-oxides as a function of C content. Via a combination of first-principles calculations and an effective structure sampling scheme, the stable configurations of C-substitutions are comprehensively searched by templating different 2D TiO 2 polymorphs and considering a two O to one C replacement scheme. Among the searched stable configurations, a structure where the (101) planes of anatase bound the top and bottom surfaces with a chemical formula of Ti C 1 / 4 O 3 / 2 was of particularly low energy. Furthermore, the variations in the electronic band structure and chemical bonding environments caused by the high-content C substitution are investigated via additional calculations using a hybrid exchange-correlation functional.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2211319
- PAR ID:
- 10425095
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- 2D Materials
- Volume:
- 10
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2053-1583
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 015019
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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