Extreme-Temperature Stability of MXenes Revealed by In-Situ High-Temperature XRD
Two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) are a vast family of 2D nanomaterials that can be precisely designed at the atomic scale to meet next-generation energy and device demands, spanning advanced catalysis to high-performance batteries to harsh environment stable microelectronics. Among microelectronic materials, MXenes stand out as one of the few 2D materials metallic conductors capable of maintaining remarkable structural stability at extreme temperatures (>600 °C).
Utilizing Anton Paar's advanced in-situ high-temperature X-ray diffraction (XRD) non-ambient chambers, we tracked the real-time structural dynamics, lattice parameters, and phase evolution of these materials in high temperature environments. Crucially, our in-situ investigations demonstrate that specific MXene compositions retain their structural integrity up to 1200 °C.
These findings demonstrate the extreme stability of MXenes for the first time, which unlocks new pathways for their deployment in robust, high-temperature functional devices and harsh-environment applications.
Key takeaways:
- MXenes are a large family of materials which can be precisely designed at the atomic scale to meet next-generation energy demands, including catalysis, batteries, and devices
- MXenes are one of the few high-temperature stable 2D nanomaterials which are functional in both inert/vacuum and ambient environments
- Future development of harsh environment stable and functional devices can integrate MXenes as direct interconnects to replace critical minerals such as Cu or Ru or directly function as metallic contacts in 2D transistor based devices
Presenter: Brian Wyatt
Brian C. Wyatt is a Maria Goeppert Mayer Fellow at Argonne National Laboratory in the Applied Materials Division, working in the Nanocomposite Materials and Membrane Manufacturing Group. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University in 2024, where he investigated the high-temperature behavior of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides (MXenes). His current research focuses on the application-driven chemical design of 2D materials, including MXenes, as stable, multifunctional, high-performance materials for catalytic and electronic applications operating under harsh energy-relevant conditions.
