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Selective Adsorption of Trace Biomolecules by Amino Acid-Functionalized Ti3C2Tx MXene
Hossein Vojoudi1, Vahid Rad1, Masoud Soroush1,2
1Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|November 19, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed novel amino acid-modified MXene nanosheets for efficient trace biomolecule capture. This advanced adsorbent shows superior performance for sensitive detection and enrichment in various applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Accurate detection of trace biomolecules is crucial for diagnostics and environmental monitoring.
- Conventional adsorbents struggle with sensitivity and selectivity at ultralow concentrations.
- Novel materials are needed for efficient preconcentration and recovery of target analytes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize amino acid-modified Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets for trace biomolecule adsorption.
- To evaluate the adsorption capacity, kinetics, and thermodynamics of the novel adsorbent.
- To demonstrate the application of the functionalized material in continuous-flow systems for preconcentration and recovery.
Main Methods:
- Systematic study of dopamine adsorption on amino acid-surface-modified Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets.
- Grafting MXene onto glass wool via silane linkers and fabricating continuous-flow columns.
- Characterization using adsorption isotherms (Langmuir) and kinetic models (pseudo-second-order).
- Thermodynamic analysis and performance evaluation against conventional adsorbents (activated carbon, silica gel).
Main Results:
- Successful functionalization of Ti3C2Tx MXene with amino acids, confirmed by characterization.
- Amino acid-MXene adsorbents demonstrated high adsorption capacity and selectivity, particularly cystine-modified MXene.
- Achieved >99% desorption efficiency and stable performance over ten adsorption-desorption cycles.
- Outperformed activated carbon and silica gel in capacity, selectivity, and cycling stability.
Conclusions:
- Amino acid-modified MXene nanosheets offer a versatile and highly effective platform for trace biomolecule capture and enrichment.
- The developed adsorbent shows significant potential for applications in early disease diagnosis and environmental monitoring.
- Synergistic interactions in cystine-modified MXene enhance adsorption efficiency, paving the way for advanced analytical techniques.
