Production of mxene Ti3C2Tx by wet chemical method: the effect of synthesis parameters on mxene layer size

MXenes are new two-dimensional (2D) compound that offers higher surface area, superior chemical stability, thermal conductivity, hydrophilicity and environmental compatibility compared to other 2D materials. Thanks to these superior properties, MXenes are used in applications such as water purification, photo and electrocatalysis, transparent conductors, antibacterial films, super capacitors, etc MXenes are typically obtained by etching Al layers from the MAX phases using HF acid. The MAX phases are regularly aligned carbides and nitrides of ternary metals represented as Mn+1AXn. Here n is from 1 to 3, M is a transition metal. A could be the element of group 13-16 in the periodic table. X can be carbon, nitrogen, or a mixture thereof. Mn+1XnTx MXene is obtained as a result of etching element A from the MAX phase. They contain functional groups such as Tx, -O, F or -OH in the resulting compound. Smaller Mxene layers provide more ionic conductivity, while electrical conductivity decreases. Larger MXene layers provide greater electrical conductivity. In this study, the effect of time cycle parameters, which are sonication time, power̈ and centrifuge process parameters, on the size separation of MXene layers obtained from the MAX phase was investigated for the first time and the morphological, electrical and spectroscopic properties of the produced MXene layers were characterized. Keywords: 2D materials, MXene, MAX, size selection