Synergistic effects of polymer integration on the properties, stability, and applications of MXenes

Abstract

MXenes are known for their exceptionally high electrical conductivity, mechanical resilience, and versatile surface chemistry. However, these tend to oxidize under ambient conditions, posing a major hurdle to their performance in various applications. In contrast, polymers are mostly stable under ambient conditions, making them ideal materials to combine with MXenes to create MXene–polymer nanocomposites with enhanced stability against oxidation, while also improving MXene functionality. This synergy can also enhance the mechanical strength, thermal stability, surface properties, and other characteristics of MXenes, improving the overall performance of MXenes. This review focuses on the role of polymers in improving the properties of MXenes and mitigating their oxidation under various conditions. Polymers serve as protective barriers and improve interfacial interactions, maintaining various properties of MXenes for longer periods. This review also highlights MXene–polymer nanocomposite fabrication techniques, like solution blending, layer-by-layer assembly, in situ polymerization, electrospinning, etc., for their effective integration. The review also explores MXene–polymer nanocomposite applications in different areas, including energy storage devices, electronics, sensors, filtration membranes, biomedical applications, etc. Finally, the review also outlines various challenges and opportunities in synthesizing MXene–polymer nanocomposites for diverse applications, emphasizing the potential of MXene–polymer synergy to open new opportunities in future hybrid materials.