Scalable Production of Tailor-Designed MXene-Hydrogel Core-Shell Fibers via Dual Stress-Guided Alignment during...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Large-scale production of two-dimensional (2D) MXene-based functional fibers is difficult while maintaining material properties.
• MXenes offer exceptional electrical conductivity and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a scalable method for producing highly aligned MXene fibers.
• To integrate these fibers into long, functional materials for advanced applications.

Main Methods:

• Liquid injection-assisted thermal drawing was employed to align MXene flakes within fiber channels.
• Interfacial shear stress and osmotic pressure from hydrogel cladding induced in situ stress-induced alignments.
• Tens of meters-long, highly aligned Ti3C2Tx MXene-hydrogel core-shell fibers were fabricated.

Main Results:

• Achieved highly aligned MXene structures within continuous fibers.
• Demonstrated excellent EMI shielding effectiveness and electrical conductivity.
• Successfully fabricated multifunctional fiber-based devices, including EMI self-protective electronics and neural probes.

Conclusions:

• The scalable thermal drawing approach enables the production of versatile MXene fibers.
• These fibers hold significant potential for applications in precise electronics, smart textiles, and biomedical engineering.
• This method expands the scope of MXene utilization in advanced material systems.