Excellence in Research: Development of a Non-Fluorinated Etching Procedure to Prepare MXene Hybrid Materials for Composite Applications

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: MXenes are 2D materials with excellent electrical/magnetic properties for use in a number of applications such as electromagnetic radiation shielding, supercapacitors and batteries. In this project, a team of researchers at the Florida A & M University (FAMU), FAMU-FSU (Florida State University) College of Engineering (COE), and Clark Atlanta University (CAU-Chemistry), aim to prepare a class of MXenes with homogenous surface functionality using a less hazardous procedure.

This novel method of synthesizing MXenes will open new avenues of developing hybrid materials for different applications and the generation of unique composite materials. Subsequently, this project seeks to increase the number of undergraduate and graduate minority students enrolling in engineering and science programs to pursue advanced degrees through involvement in MXene materials research.

Student interest about graduate programs and summer research opportunities will also increase, leading to the establishment of a 2+3 dual-degree engineering program.

TECHNICAL DETAILS: MXenes are derived from MAX phases, where the A element, usually aluminum, is removed by etching with toxic hydrogen fluoride. The systematic investigation of MXene with a novel non-fluorine based method using the following research aims to understand the synthesis/etching/exfoliation processes using a non-fluorinated etching procedure allows for control of the resultant microstructure and macroscopic properties crucial to MXenes applications: 1) Preparing MXenes with improved stability and homogenous surface functionality using non-fluorinated etching techniques on MAX phases. 2) Understanding the impact of this etching process on the MXene chemistry, morphology, and chemical environment on rheological, electronic, and magnetic/spin properties. 3) Building a MXene model based on specific functional groups terminations using thermodynamic stability calculations of bromine or other functional group terminations, geometry optimizations for single and bilayer MXene structures, and vibrational frequency calculations to compare with experimental results. 4) Developing novel MXene composite structures for manufacturing devices with desirable magnetic and electronic properties. 5) Exploring the suitability of a novel etch method for other types of MAX phases.

The findings from this EiR project will contribute to institutional change by aligning the qualities of interdisciplinary research with educational outcomes and exposing students to new chemical synthesis and exfoliation techniques, instrumentation at the National High Magnetic Field Lab (NHMFL) national user facility, and 3D printing using state-of-the-art equipment to fabricate MXene structures and devices.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.