Abstract:

MXene material has gained popularity among scientists since its discovery in 2011. It has shown great potential in various fields such as energy storage, catalysis, environment, wave absorption, biotherapy, and high-performance composite materials. A series of special perspectives have been organized to provide an overview of the latest research progress and challenges in MXene material science. The invited experts have shared their research highlights and discussed existing problems and future directions.

Synthesis is the foundation of MXene research, with nearly all studies employing chemical methods that use fluoride etchants to transform MAX phases into MXenes. Strategies like Lewis acid molten salt etching and “chemical scissors” for structural editing offer new perspectives for customized synthesis. MXene possesses key physicochemical properties crucial for electronic applications, significantly impacting the study of electronic devices. MXene materials have broad application prospects in flexible photodetectors, solar cells, electronic devices, and energy applications. Moreover, MXene’s metallic conductivity and accordion-like structure make it useful for pressure sensors and electromagnetic shielding. MXene is also a hot topic in the field of energy storage, such as the latest developments in anodes, cathodes, and electrolytes/separators for zinc-ion batteries. Journal of Inorganic Materials expresses gratitude to the invited experts and reviewers for their contributions and looks forward to more updates on MXene research findings.

In summary, MXene materials have shown great potential due to their unique properties and have made significant breakthroughs in various fields. However, there are still many challenges to be addressed, such as the environmental stability and packaging technology of MXene materials. With continuous efforts from researchers, it is expected that more exciting findings and breakthroughs will be achieved in the future.