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A Mild Alkaline Hydrothermal Etchant for MBene Exfoliation
Yiren Zhang1, Abraham A Rosenberg1, Joseph T Doane1
1Department of Chemistry, University at Albany SUNY; Albany, Albany, New York 12222, United States.
Inorganic Chemistry
|September 11, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed a novel hydrothermal method to synthesize molybdenum boride (MoB) nanosheets, a challenging material. This MoBene material effectively removes lead from water, showcasing its potential for environmental remediation.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Inorganic Chemistry
Background:
- Molybdenum boride (MoB) is analogous to MXenes but difficult to synthesize due to degradation in etching media.
- Intercalation strategies, like those used for AlOOH, offer potential pathways for boride exfoliation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a mild synthesis route for exfoliated molybdenum boride (MoB) nanosheets, termed MoBene.
- To investigate the structural properties and potential applications of the synthesized MoBene.
Main Methods:
- A mild hydrothermal etching method using dilute lithium hydroxide was employed to exfoliate MoAlB.
- X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used for structural and morphological characterization.
- Restacking of MoBene sheets to crystalline MoB was achieved via heating in a reducing atmosphere.
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized exfoliated MoBene sheets with a layered structure, confirmed by XRD (peak at 8.9°) and SEM.
- Demonstrated the restacking of MoBene to crystalline MoB at low temperatures, indicating efficient synthesis of refractory materials.
- The exfoliated MoBene exhibited strong lead adsorption capacity (318 mg/g) due to chelating hydroxyl functional groups.
Conclusions:
- A novel, mild hydrothermal method enables the synthesis of exfoliated MoBene (molybdenum boride) nanosheets.
- MoBene possesses hydroxyl functional groups, enabling effective lead adsorption for water purification.
- The ability to restack MoBene to MoB highlights its versatility and potential for synthesizing refractory materials.
