Issue 41, 2017

Electrochemical etching of Ti2AlC to Ti2CTx (MXene) in low-concentration hydrochloric acid solution

Abstract

In this study, we successfully demonstrate the electrochemical etching of Al from porous Ti2AlC electrodes in dilute hydrochloric acid to form a layer of Ti2CTx MXene on Ti2AlC. This is the first report on etching of the A layer from the MAX phase in a fluoride-free solution as a less hazardous method to process and handle MXenes. In addition, these MXenes possess only –Cl terminal groups, as well as the common ones, such as –O and –OH. However, electrochemical etching can also result in subsequent over-etching of parent MAX phases to carbide-derived carbon (CDC). We propose a core–shell model to explain electrochemical etching of Ti2AlC to Ti2CTx and CDC. The proposed model suggests that a careful balance in etching parameters is needed to produce MXenes while avoiding over-etching. Our electrochemical approach expands the possible range of both etching techniques and resulting MXene compositions.

Graphical abstract: Electrochemical etching of Ti2AlC to Ti2CTx (MXene) in low-concentration hydrochloric acid solution

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
27 Jun 2017
Accepted
26 Sep 2017
First published
26 Sep 2017

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2017,5, 21663-21668

Electrochemical etching of Ti2AlC to Ti2CTx (MXene) in low-concentration hydrochloric acid solution

W. Sun, S. A. Shah, Y. Chen, Z. Tan, H. Gao, T. Habib, M. Radovic and M. J. Green, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2017, 5, 21663 DOI: 10.1039/C7TA05574A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements