Niobium Aluminum Carbide MAX phase

Nb2AlC MAX phase is the precursor to revolutionary Nb2CTx MXene applications.

• Technical Prowess: Electrical Conductivity: Nb2AlC serves as the precursor for Nb2CTx MXene, showcasing remarkable electrical conductivity of 3.5 × 10^4 S/cm.
• Thermal Conductivity: A thermal conductivity of 37.8 W/m·K ensures efficient heat dissipation, crucial for various engineering applications.
• Hardness: With a Vickers hardness of approximately 14.3 GPa, Nb2AlC promises durability and resistance to wear.
• Temperature Stability: Operating at temperatures exceeding 1000°C, Nb2AlC finds applications in high-temperature environments like thermal barriers and heat exchangers.

Nb2CTx MXene derived from Nb2AlC finds diverse applications:

• Energy Storage: Offers high cycling rates (10C) for Li-ion and rechargeable non-lithium-ion (Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and Al3+) batteries and supercapacitors.
• Biomedical Sensing: Enables advanced biomedical sensing including drug delivery and selective analyte detection.
• Photothermal Catalysis: Utilizes photothermal conversion for CO2 conversion and cancer cell ablation.

In groundbreaking research, Nb2CTx exhibits:

• Superconducting behavior with an onset transition temperature of 12.5 K.
• Remarkable specific capacity and cycling stability, ideal for LIBs and Na+ ion batteries.
• Multimodal functions in biomedical implants, including antibacterial properties and tissue regeneration.