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Title: The Evolution of MXenes Conductivity and Optical Properties Upon Heating in Air
Abstract

MXenes, a family of 2D transition‐metal carbides and nitrides, have excellent electrical conductivity and unique optical properties. However, MXenes oxidize in ambient conditions, which is accelerated upon heating. Intercalation of water also causes hydrolysis accelerating oxidation. Developing new tools to readily characterize MXenes’ thermal stability can enable deeper insights into their structure–property relationships. Here, in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) is employed to characterize the optical properties of three types of MXenes (Ti3C2Tx, Mo2TiC2Tx, and Ti2CTx) with varied composition and atomistic structures to investigate their thermal degradation upon heating under ambient environment. It is demonstrated that changes in MXene extinction and optical conductivity in the visible and near‐IR regions correlate well with the amount of intercalated water and hydroxyl termination groups and the degree of oxidation, measured using thermogravimetric analysis. Among the three MXenes, Ti3C2Txand Ti2CTx, respectively, have the highest and lowest thermal stability, indicating the role of transition‐metal type, synthesis route, and the number of atomic layers in MXene flakes. These findings demonstrate the utility of SE as a powerful in situ technique for rapid structure–property relationship studies paving the way for the further design, fabrication, and property optimization of novel MXene materials.

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Award ID(s):
2134607 2041050
NSF-PAR ID:
10442230
Author(s) / Creator(s):
 ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  
Publisher / Repository:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Small Methods
Volume:
7
Issue:
10
ISSN:
2366-9608
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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