{"id":4162,"date":"2020-03-12T09:23:31","date_gmt":"2020-03-12T09:23:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=4162"},"modified":"2020-03-12T09:39:38","modified_gmt":"2020-03-12T09:39:38","slug":"innovative-manufacturing-to-make-mxene-mainstream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/innovative-manufacturing-to-make-mxene-mainstream\/4162\/","title":{"rendered":"Innovative manufacturing to make MXene mainstream"},"content":{"rendered":"
Prior to the invention of MXene, producing bulk quantities of nanomaterials<\/a> was a significant challenge faced by the materials industry. A team of researchers from Drexel University and the Materials Research Center<\/a>, Ukraine, have designed a system of creating large quantities of MXene while preserving its distinctive properties.<\/p>\n According to Advanced Engineering Materials<\/a>, <\/em>a lab-scale reactor system can convert a ceramic precursor material into powdery black MXene titanium carbide, in quantities as large as 50 grams per batch, contrasting the 1-2 grams produced previously.<\/p>\n In order to achieve viable mainstream manufacturing practices, large batches of the material must be refined and produced with consistency at a reasonable scale.<\/p>\n “Proving a material has certain properties is one thing, but proving that it can overcome the practical challenges of manufacturing is an entirely different hurdle – this study reports on an important step in this direction,” said Yury Gogotsi, professor at Drexel’s College of Engineering.<\/p>\n Gogotsi continued: “This means that MXene can be considered for widespread use in electronics and energy storage devices.”<\/p>\n Researchers at Drexel’s College of Engineering have been producing MXene in small quantities since the material was first synthesised in 2011. The layered nanomaterial starts as a piece of ceramic called a MAX phase. When a mixture of hydrofluoric and hydrochloric acid interacts with the MAX phase it etches away certain parts of the material, creating the nanometer-thin flakes characteristic of MXenes.<\/p>\n In a research environment this method uses a 60ml container, where the ingredients are added and mixed by hand. In order to produce this material in bulk, the group uses a one-litre reactor chamber and a screw feeder device to precisely add MAX phase. One inlet feeds the reactants uniformly into the reactor and another allows for gas pressure relief during the reaction. A mixing blade ensures thorough and uniform mixing. And a cooling jacket around the reactor lets the team adjust the temperature of the reaction. This entire process is computerised and controlled by a software program created by the Materials Research Center team.<\/p>\n “Most 2D materials are made using a bottom-up approach,” said Christopher Shuck, a post-doctoral researcher in the A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute.<\/p>\n Shuck continued: “This is where the atoms are added individually, one by one. These materials can be grown on specific surfaces or by depositing atoms using very expensive equipment.<\/p>\n \u201cBut even with these expensive machines and catalysts used, the production batches are time-consuming, small and still prohibitively expensive for widespread use beyond small electronic devices.”<\/p>\n Do you want the latest news and updates Innovation News Network? Click <\/em><\/strong>here<\/em><\/a> to subscribe, and make sure to stay <\/em><\/strong>connected<\/em><\/a> with us.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Researchers have developed a method of creating the nanomaterial MXene in bulk quantities without sacrificing quality, releasing its mainstream potential. Prior to the invention of MXene, producing bulk quantities of nanomaterials was a significant challenge faced by the materials industry. A team of researchers from Drexel University and the Materials Research Center, Ukraine, have designed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4164,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[766,24429],"tags":[833],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow is MXene created in bulk?<\/h3>\n