Empowering Carbon Fibers With Ti₃C₂T_x MXene: A Paradigm Shift Toward Integrated Structure-Function Composites

This review delineates a transformative strategy in advanced materials: the integration of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene with carbon fibers (CFs) to forge a new class of multifunctional structural composites. This integration strategy signifies a paradigm shift from simple structural components to multifunctional material systems. Moving beyond conventional interface enhancement, precise modification techniques such as self-assembly, electrophoretic deposition, chemical grafting, and blending-spinning synergistically combine the outstanding mechanical properties of CFs with the diverse electrical, thermal, and optical characteristics of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene. This synergistic coupling effectively overcomes the long-standing limitations of CFs, including surface inertness and functional singularity. The review systematically examines the resulting performance improvements across a range of frontier applications, including interface reinforcement, electromagnetic shielding, battery energy storage, smart sensing, and thermal management. However, achieving industrial applications still depends on overcoming key challenges related to Ti₃C₂T_x MXene stability, scalable processing, and multifunctional optimization. This review not only summarizes current research progress but also outlines a roadmap for future studies, emphasizing sustainable processing, interfacial nanoengineering, and the rational design of next-generation structure-function-integrated composites.