2011 saw the discovery of a new class of 2D materials, “MXenes” that has piqued the interest of materials scientists around the globe due to their unique properties, making them appealing for applications ranging from biomedical to transparent conducting electrodes, water purification, and electronics. This article will discuss the most recent advances in MXenes for energy storage devices, particularly lithium sulfur batteries.
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MXenes – A New Class of 2D Wonder Materials
The general formula for ternary carbides is Mn+1AXn, where n = 1,2,3, M is a transition metal such as Cr, V, Ti, Sc, etc., A is an element such as aluminum or silicon, and X is either carbon or nitrogen. Researchers refer to these phases as MAX phases.
M-A bonds in MAX phases are weaker than M-X bonds, so A layers are easily susceptible to etching and produce…