Rheological Characteristics of 2D Titanium Carbide (MXene) Dispersions: A Guide for Processing MXenes
Bilen Akuzum†‡, Kathleen Maleski†, Babak Anasori† , Pavel Lelyukh†, Nicolas Javier Alvarez*§, E. Caglan Kumbur*‡, and Yury Gogotsi*†
† A. J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
‡ Electrochemical Energy Systems Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
§ Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
ACS Nano, Article ASAP, DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.7b08889, Publication Date (Web): February 20, 2018, Copyright © 2018 American Chemical Society
Abstract
Understanding the rheological properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials in suspension is critical for the development of various solution processing and manufacturing techniques. 2D carbides and nitrides (MXenes) constitute one of the largest families of 2D materials with >20 synthesized compositions and applications already ranging from energy storage to medicine to optoelectronics. However, in spite of a report on clay-like behavior, not much is known about their rheological response. In this study, rheological behavior of single- and multilayer Ti3C2Tx in aqueous dispersions was investigated. Viscous and viscoelastic properties of MXene dispersions were studied over a variety of concentrations from colloidal dispersions to high loading slurries, showing that a multilayer MXene suspension with up to 70 wt % can exhibit flowability.
Processing guidelines for the fabrication of MXene films, coatings, and fibers have been established based on the rheological properties. Surprisingly, high viscosity was observed at very low concentrations for solutions of single-layer MXene flakes. Single-layer colloidal solutions were found to exhibit partial elasticity even at the lowest tested concentrations (<0.20 mg/mL) due to the presence of strong surface charge and excellent hydrophilicity of MXene, making them amenable to fabrication at dilute concentrations. Overall, the findings of this study provide fundamental insights into the rheological response of this quickly growing 2D family of materials in aqueous environments as well as offer guidelines for processing of MXenes.
Keywords: 2D material; MXene; processing; rheology; titanium carbide
Read more: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acsnano.7b08889
Here we demonstrate a new developed method for depositing Ti3C2Tx MXenes onto hydrophobic electrospun PCL membranes using oxygen plasma treatment. These novel patches hold tremendous potential for providing mechanical support to damaged heart tissue and enabling electrical signal transmission,thereby mimicking the crucial electroconductivity required for normal cardiac function. After a detailed investigation of scaffold-to-cell interplay, including electrical stimulation, novel technology has the potential for clinical application not only for cardiac regeneration, but also as neural and muscular tissue substitutes.
MX-MAP project participants from MRC Dr. Oleksiy Gogotsi and Veronika Zahorodna performed split secondment visit to project partner organization University of Padova (Italy). MX-MAP project works on development of the key strategies for MXene medical applications. 
CanbioSe Project Meeting and Project Workshop was held at European Institute of Membranes (IEM), University of Montpellier, France on September 26-27, 2023. The workshop was focused on the theme of "Commercializing Biosensors, Intellectual Property, and Knowledge Transfer from Academia to Industry.
Dr. Oleksiy Gogotsi and Veronika Zahorodna visited IEEE NAP 2023 conference held in Bratislava on September 10-15, 2023. The prime focus of the IEEE NAP-2023 was on nanoscale materials with emphasis on interdisciplinary research exploring and exploiting their unique physical and chemical proprieties for practical applications.
Director of MRC and Carbon-Ukraine Dr. Oleksiy Gogotsi visited CEST labs in Wiener Neustadt (Low Energy Ion Scattering, Batteries development) and TU Vienna (ELSA, SFA). He meet with Dr. Pierluigi Bilotto, Dr. Chriatian Pichler and their colleagues, discussing novel materials and r&d activities for new technologies.
MX-MAP Session was held during the YUCOMAT Conference 2023 titled: "Towards MXenes’ biomedical applications by high-dimensional immune MAPping", HORIZON-MSCA-2021-SE-01 project MX-MAP.
CANBIOSE project participants from MRC Dr. Oleksiy Gogotsi and Veronika Zahorodna performed secondment visit to project partner organization European Institute of Membranes in Montpellier (France) on August -September 2023.
MRC researchers Dr. Oleksiy Gogotsi and Veronika Zahorodna were visiting Nanobiomedical Centre, Adam Mickewicz University in Poznan, Poland due to close collaboration with AMU team led by Dr. Igor Iatsunskiy. 
Meeting during the MXene international conference held in Drexel University on Aug. 3, 2022, and discussing the roadmap for launching MX-MAP research project on MXenes for medical applications.