Polyacrylamide-Grafted MXenes Prepared via on-Surface Polymerization Demonstrated Enhanced Aqueous Dispersion and...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• MXenes are 2D materials with promising biomedical potential.
• Their unmodified surfaces lack stability in biological environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for enhancing MXene stability in aqueous and biological media.
• To preserve the photothermal properties of modified MXenes.

Main Methods:

• Surface modification of MXenes using a water-soluble initiator.
• Grafting polyacrylamide (PAM) onto MXene surfaces via atom transfer radical polymerization.
• Assessing colloidal stability in cell culture medium and water.
• Evaluating photothermal properties and cellular toxicity.

Main Results:

• Polymer-grafted MXenes (PAM-MXenes) exhibited significantly enhanced colloidal stability.
• Modified MXenes remained well-dispersed for over 7 days in cell culture medium and over a month in water.
• Photothermal properties were retained, with no compromise in heat generation.
• PAM-MXenes showed no marked toxicity to cells.

Conclusions:

• Surface modification effectively improves MXene stability for biomedical applications.
• The developed method preserves crucial photothermal functionalities.
• PAM-MXenes represent a promising class of materials for advanced biomedical applications.