Electromagnetic Shielding of Monolayer MXene Assemblies

Miniaturization of electronics demands electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding of nanoscale dimension. The authors report a systematic exploration of EMI shielding behavior of 2D Ti₃C₂T_x MXene assembled films over a broad range of film thicknesses, monolayer by monolayer. Theoretical models are used to explain the shielding mechanism below skin depth, where multiple reflection becomes significant, along with the surface reflection and bulk absorption of electromagnetic radiation. While a monolayer assembled film offers ≈20% shielding of electromagnetic waves, a 24-layer film of ≈55 nm thickness demonstrates 99% shielding (20 dB), revealing an extraordinarily large absolute shielding effectiveness (3.89 × 10⁶ dB cm² g⁻¹). This remarkable performance of nanometer-thin solution processable MXene proposes a paradigm shift in shielding of lightweight, portable, and compact next-generation electronic devices.     

Biodegradable PLA/CNTs/Ti3C2Tx MXene nanocomposites for efficient electromagnetic interference shielding

Environment friendly electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with excellent EMI-shielding efficiency (SE) are urgently required to deal with the increasing electromagnetic wave and environmental pollution. In this work, biodegradable poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/Ti₃C₂T_x MXene nanocomposites are prepared via co-coagulation and compression molding techniques. The distribution state of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene or CNTs, the excellent conductivity and EMI-shielding properties of the nanocomposites are confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), four-probe conductivity tester and vector network analyzer, respectively. The PLA/CNTs/Ti₃C₂T_x nanocomposites show efficient EMI SE of 24.4 dB for 7 wt% CNTs/8 wt% Ti₃C₂T_x at the thickness of 0.5 mm. By increasing the thickness of the film, the EMI SE of PLA/CNTs/Ti₃C₂T_x nanocomposites can be increased to 39.6 dB at 1.9 mm, nearly 99.989% of electromagnetic wave is shielded. The EM wave reflection is the main shielding mechanism of the PLA/CNTs/Ti₃C₂T_x nanocomposites. Considering future environmental issues, this work provides a novel way for fabricating MXene-based biodegradable EMI shielding materials.

     

Superhigh Electromagnetic Interference Shielding of Ultrathin Aligned Pristine Graphene Nanosheets Film

Ultrathin, lightweight, high-strength, and thermally conductive electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with high shielding effectiveness (SE) are highly desired for next-generation portable and wearable electronics. Pristine graphene (PG) has a great potential to meet all the above requirements, but the poor processability of PG nanosheets hinders its applications. Here, efficient synthesis of highly aligned laminated PG films and nacre-like PG/polymer composites with a superhigh PG loading up to 90 wt% by a scanning centrifugal casting method is reported. Due to the PG-nanosheets-alignment-induced high electrical conductivity and multiple internal reflections, such films show superhigh EMI SE comparable to the reported best synthetic material, MXene films, at an ultralow thickness. An EMI SE of 93 dB is obtained for the PG film at a thickness of ≈100 µm, and 63 dB is achieved for the PG/polyimide composite film at a thickness of ≈60 µm. Furthermore, such PG-nanosheets-based films show much higher mechanical strength (up to 145 MPa) and thermal conductivity (up to 190 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹) than those of their MXene counterparts. These excellent comprehensive properties, along with ease of mass production, pave the way for practical applications of PG nanosheets in EMI shielding.     

Transparent,Flexible, and Conductive 2D Titanium Carbide (MXene) Films with High Volumetric Capacitance

2D transition‐metal carbides and nitrides, known as MXenes, have displayed promising properties in numerous applications, such as energy storage, electromagnetic interference shielding, and catalysis. Titanium carbide MXene (Ti₃C₂T_x ), in particular, has shown significant energy‐storage capability. However, previously, only micrometer‐thick, nontransparent films were studied. Here, highly transparent and conductive Ti₃C₂T_x films and their application as transparent, solid‐state supercapacitors are reported. Transparent films are fabricated via spin‐casting of Ti₃C₂T_x nanosheet colloidal solutions, followed by vacuum annealing at 200 °C. Films with transmittance of 93% (≈4 nm) and 29% (≈88 nm) demonstrate DC conductivity of ≈5736 and ≈9880 S cm^?1, respectively. Such highly transparent, conductive Ti₃C₂T_x films display impressive volumetric capacitance (676 F cm^?3) combined with fast response. Transparent solid‐state, asymmetric supercapacitors (72% transmittance) based on Ti₃C₂T_x and single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) films are also fabricated. These electrodes exhibit high capacitance (1.6 mF cm^?2) and energy density (0.05 µW h cm^?2), and long lifetime (no capacitance decay over 20 000 cycles), exceeding that of graphene or SWCNT‐based transparent supercapacitor devices. Collectively, the Ti₃C₂T_x films are among the state‐of‐the‐art for future transparent, conductive, capacitive electrodes, and translate into technologically viable devices for next‐generation wearable, portable electronics.     

Hydrophobic,Flexible, and Lightweight MXene Foams for High‐Performance Electromagnetic‐Interference Shielding

Ultrathin, lightweight, and flexible electromagnetic‐interference (EMI) shielding materials are urgently required to manage increasingly serious radiation pollution. 2D transition‐metal carbides (MXenes) are considered promising alternatives to graphene for providing excellent EMI‐shielding performance due to their outstanding metallic electrical conductivity. However, the hydrophilicity of MXene films may affect their stability and reliability when applied in moist or wet environments. Herein, for the first time, an efficient and facile approach is reported to fabricate freestanding, flexible, and hydrophobic MXene foam with reasonable strength by assembling MXene sheets into films followed by a hydrazine‐induced foaming process. In striking contrast to well‐known hydrophilic MXene materials, the MXene foams surprisingly exhibit hydrophobic surfaces and outstanding water resistance and durability. More interestingly, a much enhanced EMI‐shielding effectiveness of ≈70 dB is achieved for the lightweight MXene foam as compared to its unfoamed film counterpart (53 dB) due to the highly efficient wave attenuation in the favorable porous structure. Therefore, the hydrophobic, flexible, and lightweight MXene foam with an excellent EMI‐shielding performance is highly promising for applications in aerospace and portable and wearable smart electronics.     

MXene Free Standing Films: Unlocking the Impact of Flake Sizes in Microwave Resonant Structures in Humid Environments

Microwave communication devices necessitate elements with high electrical conductivity, a property which was traditionally found in metals (e.g., copper). However, in applications such as satellite communications, metals prevent the payload from achieving lightweight and flexible characteristics. Here, we demonstrate the development of MXene film microwave resonators, leveraging MXene's high electrical conductivity and unique mechanical properties. To investigate resonant performance in humid conditions and study the effects of MXene's processing and treatment, MXene films with different flake sizes are prepared and exposed to cyclic humidity. For the large- and small-flake Ti₃C₂ MXene films in cyclic humidity, the large-flake film demonstrates higher electrical conductivity, higher resonance quality factor (150 and 35 as unloaded, and loaded), and less fluctuation of performance (≈1.7% total shift in resonance frequency). Further, by implementing MXene films of two different diameters, the correlation between film size and resonant frequency is demonstrated. By introducing an active resonant configuration, the effect of MXene degradation and microwave losses can be compensated. This active feedback loop demonstrates a ≈300 times increase in the quality factor of MXene resonators. As a building block for terrestrial and satellite communication modules, MXene resonators potentiate the replacement of metals in achieving unique electrical and mechanical properties.     

Bath Electrospinning of Continuous and Scalable Multifunctional MXene‐Infiltrated Nanoyarns

Electroactive yarns that are stretchable are desired for many electronic textile applications, including energy storage, soft robotics, and sensing. However, using current methods to produce these yarns, achieving high loadings of electroactive materials and simultaneously demonstrating stretchability is a critical challenge. Here, a one‐step bath electrospinning technique is developed to effectively capture Ti₃C₂T_x MXene flakes throughout continuous nylon and polyurethane (PU) nanofiber yarns (nanoyarns). With up to ≈90 wt% MXene loading, the resulting MXene/nylon nanoyarns demonstrate high electrical conductivity (up to 1195 S cm^?1). By varying the flake size and MXene concentration, nanoyarns achieve stretchability of up to 43% (MXene/nylon) and 263% (MXene/PU). MXene/nylon nanoyarn electrodes offer high specific capacitance in saturated LiClO₄ electrolyte (440 F cm^?3 at 5 mV s^?1), with a wide voltage window of 1.25 V and high rate capability (72% between 5 and 500 mV s^?1). As strain sensors, MXene/PU yarns demonstrate a wide sensing range (60% under cyclic stretching), high sensitivity (gauge factor of ≈17 in the range of 20–50% strain), and low drift. Utilizing the stretchability of polymer nanofibers and the electrical and electrochemical properties of MXene, MXene‐based nanoyarns demonstrate potential in a wide range of applications, including stretchable electronics and body movement monitoring.     

Saturable Absorption in 2D Ti3C2 MXene Thin Films for Passive Photonic Diodes

MXenes comprise a new class of 2D transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides that exhibit unique light–matter interactions. Recently, 2D Ti₃CNT_x (T_x represents functional groups such as ? OH and ? F) was found to exhibit nonlinear saturable absorption (SA) or increased transmittance at higher light fluences, which is useful for mode locking in fiber‐based femtosecond lasers. However, the fundamental origin and thickness dependence of SA behavior in MXenes remain to be understood. 2D Ti₃C₂T_x thin films of different thicknesses are fabricated using an interfacial film formation technique to systematically study their nonlinear optical properties. Using the open aperture Z‐scan method, it is found that the SA behavior in Ti₃C₂T_x MXene arises from plasmon‐induced increase in the ground state absorption at photon energies above the threshold for free carrier oscillations. The saturation fluence and modulation depth of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene is observed to be dependent on the film thickness. Unlike other 2D materials, Ti₃C₂T_x is found to show higher threshold for light‐induced damage with up to 50% increase in nonlinear transmittance. Lastly, building on the SA behavior of Ti₃C₂T_x MXenes, a Ti₃C₂T_x MXene‐based photonic diode that breaks time‐reversal symmetry to achieve nonreciprocal transmission of nanosecond laser pulses is demonstrated.     

Multifunctional Nanocomposites with High Strength and Capacitance Using 2D MXene and 1D Nanocellulose

The family of two‐dimensional (2D) metal carbides and nitrides, known as MXenes, are among the most promising electrode materials for supercapacitors thanks to their high metal‐like electrical conductivity and surface‐functional‐group‐enabled pseudocapacitance. A major drawback of these materials is, however, the low mechanical strength, which prevents their applications in lightweight, flexible electronics. A strategy of assembling freestanding and mechanically robust MXene (Ti₃C₂T_x ) nanocomposites with one‐dimensional (1D) cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) from their stable colloidal dispersions is reported. The high aspect ratio of CNF (width of ≈3.5 nm and length reaching tens of micrometers) and their special interactions with MXene enable nanocomposites with high mechanical strength without sacrificing electrochemical performance. CNF loading up to 20%, for example, shows a remarkably high mechanical strength of 341 MPa (an order of magnitude higher than pristine MXene films of 29 MPa) while still maintaining a high capacitance of 298 F g^?1 and a high conductivity of 295 S cm^?1. It is also demonstrated that MXene/CNF hybrid dispersions can be used as inks to print flexible micro‐supercapacitors with precise dimensions. This work paves the way for fabrication of robust multifunctional MXene nanocomposites for printed and lightweight structural devices.     

Assembling 2D MXenes into Highly Stable Pseudocapacitive Electrodes with High Power and Energy Densities

Electrochemical capacitors (ECs) that store charge based on the pseudocapacitive mechanism combine high energy densities with high power densities and rate capabilities. 2D transition metal carbides (MXenes) have been recently introduced as high‐rate pseudocapacitive materials with ultrahigh areal and volumetric capacitances. So far, 20 different MXene compositions have been synthesized and many more are theoretically predicted. However, since most MXenes are chemically unstable in their 2D forms, to date only one MXene composition, Ti₃C₂T_x, has shown stable pseudocapacitive charge storage. Here, a cation‐driven assembly process is demonstrated to fabricate highly stable and flexible multilayered films of V₂CT_x and Ti₂CT_x MXenes from their chemically unstable delaminated single‐layer flakes. The electrochemical performance of electrodes fabricated using assembled V₂CT_x flakes surpasses Ti₃C₂T_x in various aqueous electrolytes. These electrodes show specific capacitances as high as 1315 F cm^?3 and retain ≈77% of their initial capacitance after one million charge/discharge cycles, an unprecedented performance for pseudocapacitive materials. This work opens a new venue for future development of high‐performance supercapacitor electrodes using a variety of 2D materials as building blocks.     

Highly Conductive Ti3C2Tx MXene Hybrid Fibers for Flexible and Elastic Fiber‐Shaped Supercapacitors

Fiber‐shaped supercapacitors (FSCs) are promising energy storage solutions for powering miniaturized or wearable electronics. However, the scalable fabrication of fiber electrodes with high electrical conductivity and excellent energy storage performance for use in FSCs remains a challenge. Here, an easily scalable one‐step wet‐spinning approach is reported to fabricate highly conductive fibers using hybrid formulations of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene nanosheets and poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate. This approach produces fibers with a record conductivity of ≈1489 S cm^?1, which is about five times higher than other reported Ti₃C₂T_x MXene‐based fibers (up to ≈290 S cm^?1). The hybrid fiber at ≈70 wt% MXene shows a high volumetric capacitance (≈614.5 F cm^?3 at 5 mV s^?1) and an excellent rate performance (≈375.2 F cm^?3 at 1000 mV s^?1). When assembled into a free‐standing FSC, the energy and power densities of the device reach ≈7.13 Wh cm^?3 and ≈8249 mW cm^?3, respectively. The excellent strength and flexibility of the hybrid fibers allow them to be wrapped on a silicone elastomer fiber to achieve an elastic FSC with 96% capacitance retention when cyclically stretched to 100% strain. This work demonstrates the potential of MXene‐based fiber electrodes and their scalable production for fiber‐based energy storage applications.     

A New Memristor with 2D Ti3C2Tx MXene Flakes as an Artificial Bio‐Synapse

Two‐dimensional (2D) materials have attracted extensive research interest in academia due to their excellent electrochemical properties and broad application prospects. Among them, 2D transition metal carbides (Ti₃C₂T_x) show semiconductor characteristics and are studied widely. However, there are few academic reports on the use of 2D MXene materials as memristors. In this work, reported is a memristor based on MXene Ti₃C₂T_x flakes. After electroforming, Al/Ti₃C₂T_x/Pt devices exhibit repeatable resistive switching (RS) behavior. More interestingly, the resistance of this device can be continuously modulated under the pulse sequence with 10 ns pulse width, and the pulse width of 10 ns is much lower than that in other reported work. Moreover, on the nanosecond scale, the transition from short‐term plasticity to long‐term plasticity is achieved. These two properties indicate that this device is favorable for ultrafast biological synapse applications and high‐efficiency training of neural networks. Through the exploration of the microstructure, Ti vacancies and partial oxidation are proposed as the origins of the physical mechanism of RS behavior. This work reveals that 2D MXene Ti₃C₂T_x flakes have excellent potential for use in memristor devices, which may open the door for more functions and applications.     

Thickness-Independent Capacitive Performance of Holey Ti3C2Tx Film Prepared through a Mild Oxidation Strategy

The Ti₃C₂T_x film with metallic conductivity and high pseudo-capacitance holds profound promise in flexible high-rate supercapacitors. However, the restacking of Ti₃C₂T_x sheets hinders ion access to thick film electrodes. Herein, a mild yet green route has been developed to partially oxidize Ti₃C₂T_x to TiO₂/Ti₃C₂T_x by introducing O₂ molecules during refluxing the Ti₃C₂T_x suspension. The subsequent etching away of these TiO₂ nanoparticles by HF leaves behind numerous in-plane nanopores on the Ti₃C₂T_x sheets. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy shows that longer oxidation time of 40 min yields holey Ti₃C₂T_x (H-Ti₃C₂T_x) with a much shorter relax time constant of 0.85 s at electrode thickness of 25 µm, which is 89 times smaller than that of the pristineTi₃C₂T_x film (75.58 s). Meanwhile, H-Ti₃C₂T_x film with 25 min oxidation exhibits less-dependent capacitive performance in film thickness range of 10–84 µm (1.63–6.41 mg cm⁻²) and maintains around 60% capacitance as the current density increases from 1 to 50 A g⁻¹. The findings clearly demonstrate that in-plane nanopores not only provide more electrochemically active sites, but also offer numerous pathways for rapid ion impregnation across the thick Ti₃C₂T_x film. The method reported herein would pave way for fabricating porous MXene materials toward high-rate flexible supercapacitor applications.     

Dispersibility and Photochemical Stability of Delaminated MXene Flakes in Water

The environmental stability of 2D MXene flakes must be systematically studied before their further application. Herein, the colloidal dispersibility and photochemical stability of delaminated Ti₃C₂T_x MXene flakes modified with hydrazine (HMH) and KOH and with water as the control (HMH‐Ti₃C₂, KOH‐Ti₃C₂, and H₂O‐Ti₃C₂, respectively) are experimentally and theoretically studied. Modification greatly increases the dispersibility of Ti₃C₂T_x flakes. Their critical coagulation concentrations are 28.7, 106, and 49.1 mm NaCl, and their Hamaker constants are 23.7 × 10^?21, 19.1 × 10^?21, and 37.7 × 10^?21 J, respectively; the colloidal interaction follows the classical Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek theory. HMH‐Ti₃C₂ and KOH‐Ti₃C₂ exhibit higher photochemical stability, as indicated by their stronger resistance to oxidation under UV and visible light irradiation. Changes in their physicochemical properties and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are assayed. Spin‐polarized density functional theory calculations and molecular dynamics simulations are used to determine the mechanisms underlying the differences in the photochemical stability of Ti₃C₂T_x flakes. K⁺ ions protect the flakes from oxidation by acting as a middle layer to reduce the coupling between Ti³⁺ and ROS, while HMH provides stronger protection by absorbing photoelectrons or reacting with ROS. These findings provide new insight into the environmental transformation and design of functional MXenes.     

Recent Advances in Layered Ti3C2Tx MXene for Electrochemical Energy Storage

Ti₃C₂T_x, a typical representative among the emerging family of 2D layered transition metal carbides and/or nitrides referred to as MXenes, has exhibited multiple advantages including metallic conductivity, a plastic layer structure, small band gaps, and the hydrophilic nature of its functionalized surface. As a result, this 2D material is intensively investigated for application in the energy storage field. The composition, morphology and texture, surface chemistry, and structural configuration of Ti₃C₂T_x directly influence its electrochemical performance, e.g., the use of a well‐designed 2D Ti₃C₂T_x as a rechargeable battery anode has significantly enhanced battery performance by providing more chemically active interfaces, shortened ion‐diffusion lengths, and improved in‐plane carrier/charge‐transport kinetics. Some recent progresses of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene are achieved in energy storage. This Review summarizes recent advances in the synthesis and electrochemical energy storage applications of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene including supercapacitors, lithium‐ion batteries, sodium‐ion batteries, and lithium–sulfur batteries. The current opportunities and future challenges of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene are addressed for energy‐storage devices. This Review seeks to provide a rational and in‐depth understanding of the relation between the electrochemical performance and the nanostructural/chemical composition of Ti₃C₂T_x, which will promote the further development of 2D MXenes in energy‐storage applications.     

Architecting the High-Entropy Oxides on 2D MXene Nanosheets by Rapid Microwave-Heating Strategy with Robust Photoelectrochemical Oxygen Evolution Performance

High-entropy oxides (HEO) have recently concerned interest as the most promising electrocatalytic materials for oxygen evolution reactions (OER). In this work, a new strategy to the synthesis of HEO nanostructures on Ti₃C₂T_x MXene via rapid microwave heating and subsequent calcination at a low temperature is reported. Furthermore, the influence of HEO loading on Ti₃C₂T_x MXene is investigated toward OER performance with and without visible-light illumination in an alkaline medium. The obtained HEO/Ti₃C₂T_x-0.5 hybrid exhibited an outstanding photoelectrochemical OER ability with a low overpotential of 331 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² and a small Tafel slope of 71 mV dec⁻¹, which exceeded that of a commercial IrO₂ catalyst (340 mV at 10 mA cm⁻²). In particular, the fabricated water electrolyzer with the HEO/Ti₃C₂T_x-0.5 hybrid as anode required a less potential of 1.62 V at 10 mA cm⁻² under visible-light illumination. Owing to the strong synergistic interaction between the HEO and Ti₃C₂T_x MXene, the HEO/Ti₃C₂T_x hybrid has a great electrochemical surface area, many metal active sites, high conductivity, and fast reaction kinetics, resulting in an excellent OER performance. This study offers an efficient strategy for synthesizing HEO-based materials with high OER performance to produce high-value hydrogen fuel.     

Superconductivity in transparent zinc-doped In2O3 films having low carrier density

Abstract

Thin polycrystalline zinc-doped indium oxide (In₂O₃–ZnO) films were prepared by post-annealing amorphous films with various weight concentrations x of ZnO in the range 0x 0.06. We have studied the dependences of the resistivity ρ and Hall coefficient on temperature T and magnetic field H in the range 0.5T 300 K, H6 Tfor 350 nm films annealed in air. Films with 0x0.03 show the superconducting resistive transition. The transition temperature T_c is below 3.3 K and the carrier density n is about 10²⁵–10²⁶ m^?3. The annealed In₂O₃–ZnO films were examined by transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction analysis revealing that the crystallinity of the films depends on the annealing time. We studied the upper critical magnetic field H_c2 (T) for the film with x = 0.01. From the slope of dH_c2 /dT, we obtain the coherence length ξ (0) ≈ 10 nm at T = 0 K and a coefficient of electronic heat capacity that is small compared with those of other oxide materials.     

Ultrahigh Conductive Copper/Large Flake Size Graphene Heterostructure Thin‐Film with Remarkable Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Effectiveness

To guarantee the normal operation of next generation portable electronics and wearable devices, together with avoiding electromagnetic wave pollution, it is urgent to find a material possessing flexibility, ultrahigh conductive, and superb electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) simultaneously. In this work, inspired by a building bricks toy with the interlock system, we design and fabricate a copper/large flake size graphene (Cu/LG) composite thin film (≈8.8 μm) in the light of high temperature annealing of a large flake size graphene oxide film followed by magnetron sputtering of copper. The obtained Cu/LG thin‐film shows ultrahigh thermal conductivity of over 1932.73 (±63.07) W m^?1 K^?1 and excellent electrical conductivity of 5.88 (±0.29) × 10⁶ S m^?1. Significantly, it also exhibits a remarkably high EMI SE of over 52 dB at the frequency of 1–18 GHz. The largest EMI SE value of 63.29 dB, accorded at 1 GHz, is enough to obstruct and absorb 99.99995% of incident radiation. To the best of knowledge, this is the highest EMI SE performance reported so far in such thin thickness of graphene‐based materials. These outstanding properties make Cu/LG film a promising alternative building block for power electronics, microprocessors, and flexible electronics.     

Heteroatom‐Mediated Interactions between Ruthenium Single Atoms and an MXene Support for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution

A titanium carbide (Ti₃C₂T_x) MXene is employed as an efficient solid support to host a nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) coordinated ruthenium single atom (Ru_SA) catalyst, which displays superior activity toward the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). X‐ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy reveal the atomic dispersion of Ru on the Ti₃C₂T_x MXene support and the successful coordination of Ru_SA with the N and S species on the Ti₃C₂T_x MXene. The resultant Ru_SA‐N‐S‐Ti₃C₂T_x catalyst exhibits a low overpotential of 76 mV to achieve the current density of 10 mA cm^?2. Furthermore, it is shown that integrating the Ru_SA‐N‐S‐Ti₃C₂T_x catalyst on n⁺np⁺‐Si photocathode enables photoelectrochemical hydrogen production with exceptionally high photocurrent density of 37.6 mA cm^?2 that is higher than the reported precious Pt and other noble metals catalysts coupled to Si photocathodes. Density functional theory calculations suggest that Ru_SA coordinated with N and S sites on the Ti₃C₂T_x MXene support is the origin of this enhanced HER activity. This work would extend the possibility of using the MXene family as a solid support for the rational design of various single atom catalysts.     

Nanocellulose intercalation to boost the performance of MXene pressure sensor for human interactive monitoring

The advent of smart and wearable electronics endows flexible pressure sensors with promising potentiality. Ti₃C₂T_x-based MXene is considered as one of attractive sensing materials for its metallic conductivity and adjustable interlayer. However, existing flexible MXene pressure sensor still requires a technical breakthrough that simultaneously possessing high sensitivity, fast response, and durability in low-pressure regime and excellent mechanical strength. Herein, a Ti₃C₂T_x-based pressure sensor with distinctly enhanced sensing functionality and mechanical strength is demonstrated though inserting high-strength of bacterial cellulose nanofibers to control the interlayer of MXene. By optimizing the bacterial cellulose content and MXene interlayer space, the resultant sensor device exhibits high mechanical strength (225 MPa), wide-sensing range with low detective limit (0.4 Pa), high sensitivity (up to 95.2 kPa^?1, in < 50 Pa region), fast response (95 ms) and outperformed repeatability (25,000 cycles), as well as low operation voltage of 0.1 V. For practical application demos, the sensor can monitor multiple human biologic activities, including subtle pressures (e.g., swallow, heartbeat and pulse), acoustic vibrations and gesture motions, and serve as electronic skin for mapping pressure distribution, elucidating the potential application in medical diagnosis, smart robotics and human-machine interfacing.