In this study, we use a molten salt (SnF2) etching method to synthesize water dispersible Ti3C2Tz (MXene) from parent Ti3AlC2 MAX phase. The new approach avoids the common method of etching in hazardous HF. The etched Ti3C2Tz clay was washed with KOH, intercalated with DMSO, washed with water, bath sonicated, and centrifuged. This method of processing the Ti3C2Tz clay resulted in a stable Ti3C2Tz nanosheet dispersion in water with a ζ potential of -31.7 mV. The treatment of Ti3C2Tz with KOH resulted in the formation of stable dispersion because of the addition of -OH terminal groups to Ti3C2Tz. Electron microscopy confirms the formation of Ti3C2Tz with very large d spacing, when compared to the traditional HF-etched MXene. This work is the first to use molten salt etching to successfully prepare colloidally stable aqueous dispersions of Ti3C2Tznanosheets. The Ti3C2Tz nanosheet film and clay produced by this method also show excellent specific and areal capacitance.

Synthesis of water-dispersible Ti3C2Tz MXene nanosheets by molten salt etching

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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