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Updated: Aug 13, 2026
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Fabrication of Ti3C2 MXene Microelectrode Arrays for In Vivo Neural Recording
Published on: February 12, 2020
From surface terminations to functional nanoarchitectures: a chemistry-first framework for stabilizing and
Haotian Wu1, Yinxu Xie1, Shengjun Ji1
1College of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong Huayu University of Technology, Dezhou, Shandong, China.
Frontiers in Chemistry
|August 12, 2026
Summary
MXenes are promising nanomaterials, but their reactivity causes instability. This review proposes a chemistry-first framework to control their interfacial state for reproducible performance in various applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- MXenes offer excellent conductivity and processability but suffer from interfacial instability, leading to property degradation.
- Current understanding often treats surface terminations, defects, and adsorbates independently, hindering comprehensive control.
- The reactive nature of MXene interfaces, while enabling functionalization, also drives oxidation and restacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a chemistry-first framework for understanding and controlling the interfacial state of MXenes.
- To link MXene synthesis and processing to their nanoscale structure, transport properties, and functional performance.
- To provide design rules for enhancing MXene stability and reproducibility.
Main Methods:
- A review of recent studies organized by a causal sequence: chemical intervention, structural consequence, transport response, functional output, and failure mode.
- Analysis of how surface terminations, defects, adsorbates, and interlayer species collectively influence MXene behavior.
- Examination of the impact of water and oxygen on MXene degradation pathways.
Main Results:
- The proposed framework explains the divergent properties of Ti3C2Tx MXenes based on their coupled interfacial state.
- Interfacial reactions and transport are modulated by molecular ligands, polymers, inorganic phases, and assembly methods.
- Understanding the evolving interfacial state is crucial for predictable MXene performance across different applications.
Conclusions:
- Controlling the coupled interfacial state of MXenes is paramount for achieving reproducible and stable functionalities.
- Future progress requires prioritizing termination-aware synthesis, kinetic stabilization, interface-selective assembly, and operando characterization.
- MXenes can be viewed as programmable reactive nanoarchitectures, with fluorine-lean chemistry and state-resolved characterization as key research directions.
