A facile pot synthesis of (Ti3AlC2) MAX phase and its derived MXene (Ti3C2Tx)

Various processing techniques reported in the literature for synthesizing the Ti3AlC2 MAX phase involve high calcination temperature, expensive equipment, and inert environmental requirement. Here, we report a cost-effective, solid-state, single-step synthesis route of the Ti3AlC2 MAX phase. Optimizing the stoichiometry of the precursors and controlling the thermal treatment, the desired MAX phase has been attained, as confirmed by XRD analysis. Further, Ti3C2Tx (where, Tx: O, OH, F functional groups) MXene was prepared from this one-pot synthesized MAX phase. FESEM, TEM, and Raman spectroscopy were used to ensure that the hexagonal structure of the MAX phase was retained in as-synthesized MXene. Further, XPS was employed to detect the presence of surface functional groups (-O, –OH, and –F) on the MXene surface. UV–vis spectroscopy shows a strong absorption peak in the NIR region.