Breakthrough progress! Ti3C2Tx new application

Studies have shown that single-layer Ti3C2Tx nanosheets have a light transmittance of about 97% in the visible region, and have metal conductivity and hydrophilicity, and can be stably dispersed in the water medium. Therefore, researchers have used single-layer Ti3C2Tx nanosheets to prepare transparent conductive materials, and have made a breakthrough.

On February 7, 2023, ACS Nano reported that researchers developed a MXene dispersion solution with a high monolayer ratio, large size and narrow particle size distribution through the three-step method of etching, stripping and gradient centrifugation. The average size of Ti3C2Tx nanosheets is 12.2μm, and the maximum size can reach 30μm. The dispersion liquid contains almost no Ti3C2Tx fragments with the transverse size of nanometer. The researchers then prepared a transparent conductive electrode (TCE) with a highly dense microstructure by inducing the orientation of the nanosheets by shear force, which has good mechanical bending properties. In addition, the number of grain boundaries between the nanosheets is significantly reduced in the film assembled from the large-size nanosheets compared to the small-size nanosheets. Therefore, at a given thickness, the former has a higher conductivity, and its maximum TCE conductivity can reach ~20000 S/cm, while there is no obvious seepage problem at high light transmittance.

On the same day, Advanced Functional Materials reported that by continuously optimizing the particle size distribution of MXene and the adaptation parameters of the slit coating, the researchers developed a large area uniform highly conductive film at room temperature, with extremely low surface roughness, which showed a significant mirror effect from a macro perspective. By adjusting the processing conditions, ink concentration and substrate type of slit coating, various transparent conductive films with excellent photoelectric properties can be obtained. At T=93%, the nanosheets can still be closely connected with each other, and the compact stack is arranged on the substrate to form a continuous conductive path, avoiding the seepage phenomenon under high light transmittance, achieving an average conductivity of 13 000 S/cm, and having a strong adhesion on the PET and glass substrate.

On March 6, 2023, Nano Energy reported that researchers have integrated the Ti3C2Tx/ZnO structure into a flexible photodetector with integrated properties, including transparency and energy efficiency, with a transparent photodetector (TPDs) on an ITO/PET substrate with a visible light transmittance of up to 68%. Density functional theory calculations suggest Ti3C2Tx function layer has better charge transport channel, so as to improve the Ti3C2Tx/Al2O3 / ZnO/Ti3C2Tx/ITO/PET thermal photoelectric current detector, makes the TPDs response rate is 0.34 W - 1 A, The detection rate is 1.4 × 10 13Jones. Based on the ultra-fast optical response characteristics of TPDs (8 μs), it can effectively convert the Moss code in the encrypted optical signal into text information.

We are looking forward to whether the single-layer Ti3C2Tx dispersion will glow and heat up in the field of transparent conductive films like graphene, carbon nanotubes and metal nanowires in the future.