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Spontaneous MXene monolayer assembly at the liquid-air interface.
D I Petukhov1, A P Chumakov2, A S Kan3
1Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye gory 1-3, Moscow, 119991, Russia and Department of Materials Science, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1-73 Leninskiye gory, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
Nanoscale
|May 11, 2019
Summary
Titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx) MXene flakes spontaneously form monolayer films at liquid-air interfaces. Film structure and assembly kinetics are pH-dependent, enabling dense film formation and transfer for advanced applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- MXenes, a class of 2D transition metal carbides and nitrides, exhibit unique properties.
- Controlling the assembly of MXene flakes is crucial for their application in advanced materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spontaneous assembly of Ti3C2Tx MXene flakes into monolayer films.
- To understand the influence of pH on MXene film formation and properties.
- To explore methods for transferring and modifying these MXene films.
Main Methods:
- Liquid-air interface assembly
- X-ray reflectivity (XRR)
- Grazing incidence X-ray fluorescence (GIXF)
- Surface pressure measurements
- Langmuir-Blodgett transfer
Main Results:
- Ti3C2Tx MXene flakes self-assemble into monolayer films at the liquid-air interface.
- Film structure and assembly kinetics are strongly dependent on solution pH.
- At pH > 4, a single negatively charged layer forms; in acidic conditions, coordinated anions form a distinct interface.
- Dense monolayer films with up to 96% surface coverage and >40 mN m-1 surface pressure were achieved in acidic media.
- Films are transferable using Langmuir-Blodgett techniques and can be modified with surfactants.
Conclusions:
- Spontaneous, pH-controlled assembly of Ti3C2Tx MXene into monolayer films is demonstrated.
- The ability to form dense, transferable films opens avenues for MXene-based device fabrication.
- Surface modification with surfactants allows for the creation of composite films with tailored properties.
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