Selective Etching of Silicon from Ti3SiC2 (MAX) To Obtain 2D Titanium Carbide (MXene)

Abstract

Until now, MXenes could only be produced from MAX phases containing aluminum, such as Ti3AlC2. Here, we report on the synthesis of Ti3C2 (MXene) through selective etching of silicon from titanium silicon carbide—the most common MAX phase. Liters of colloidal solutions of delaminated Ti3SiC2-derived MXene (0.5–1.3 mg mL−1) were produced and processed into flexible and electrically conductive films, which show higher oxidation resistance than MXene synthesized from Ti3AlC2. This new synthesis method greatly widens the range of precursors for MXene synthesis.