Excellence in Research: Development of a Non-Fluorinated Etching Procedure to Prepare MXene Hybrid Materials for Composite Applications

非技术描述：MXenes是2D材料，具有优异的电气/磁性能，可用于电磁辐射屏蔽、超级电容器和电池等多种应用。在这个项目中，佛罗里达农工大学（FAMU）、FAMU- fsu（佛罗里达州立大学）工程学院（COE）和克拉克亚特兰大大学（cau -化学）的一组研究人员旨在用一种危害较小的方法制备一类具有均匀表面功能的MXenes。这种合成MXenes的新方法将为开发不同应用的混合材料和生成独特的复合材料开辟新的途径。随后，该项目旨在增加少数民族本科生和研究生的数量，通过参与MXene材料研究，攻读工程和科学专业的高级学位。学生对研究生课程和夏季研究机会的兴趣也将增加，从而建立2+3双学位工程项目。技术细节：MXenes源自MAX相，其中A元素（通常是铝）通过有毒的氟化氢蚀刻去除。采用一种新颖的无氟基方法对MXene进行系统研究，旨在了解使用无氟蚀刻工艺的合成/蚀刻/剥离过程，从而控制对MXenes应用至关重要的微观结构和宏观性能：1)在MAX相上使用无氟蚀刻技术制备具有更好稳定性和均匀表面功能的MXenes。2)了解这种蚀刻工艺对MXene化学、形态和化学环境对流变学、电子和磁/自旋性能的影响。3)利用溴或其他官能团末端的热力学稳定性计算，单层和双层MXene结构的几何优化，以及振动频率计算，建立基于特定官能团末端的MXene模型，并与实验结果进行比较。4)开发新型MXene复合结构，用于制造具有理想磁性和电子性能的器件。5)探索一种新的蚀刻方法对其他类型MAX相的适用性。EiR项目的研究结果将通过将跨学科研究的质量与教育成果结合起来，使学生接触到新的化学合成和剥离技术，国家高磁场实验室（NHMFL）国家用户设施的仪器，以及使用最先进的设备制造MXene结构和设备的3D打印，从而有助于制度变革。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: MXenes are 2D materials with excellent electrical/magnetic properties for use in a number of applications such as electromagnetic radiation shielding, supercapacitors and batteries. In this project, a team of researchers at the Florida A & M University (FAMU), FAMU-FSU (Florida State University) College of Engineering (COE), and Clark Atlanta University (CAU-Chemistry), aim to prepare a class of MXenes with homogenous surface functionality using a less hazardous procedure. This novel method of synthesizing MXenes will open new avenues of developing hybrid materials for different applications and the generation of unique composite materials. Subsequently, this project seeks to increase the number of undergraduate and graduate minority students enrolling in engineering and science programs to pursue advanced degrees through involvement in MXene materials research. Student interest about graduate programs and summer research opportunities will also increase, leading to the establishment of a 2+3 dual-degree engineering program. TECHNICAL DETAILS: MXenes are derived from MAX phases, where the A element, usually aluminum, is removed by etching with toxic hydrogen fluoride. The systematic investigation of MXene with a novel non-fluorine based method using the following research aims to understand the synthesis/etching/exfoliation processes using a non-fluorinated etching procedure allows for control of the resultant microstructure and macroscopic properties crucial to MXenes applications: 1) Preparing MXenes with improved stability and homogenous surface functionality using non-fluorinated etching techniques on MAX phases. 2) Understanding the impact of this etching process on the MXene chemistry, morphology, and chemical environment on rheological, electronic, and magnetic/spin properties. 3) Building a MXene model based on specific functional groups terminations using thermodynamic stability calculations of bromine or other functional group terminations, geometry optimizations for single and bilayer MXene structures, and vibrational frequency calculations to compare with experimental results. 4) Developing novel MXene composite structures for manufacturing devices with desirable magnetic and electronic properties. 5) Exploring the suitability of a novel etch method for other types of MAX phases. The findings from this EiR project will contribute to institutional change by aligning the qualities of interdisciplinary research with educational outcomes and exposing students to new chemical synthesis and exfoliation techniques, instrumentation at the National High Magnetic Field Lab (NHMFL) national user facility, and 3D printing using state-of-the-art equipment to fabricate MXene structures and devices.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.