Printable MXene Ink Hybridized with ZSM-5 for Gas Sensing and CO2 Capturing

Abstract

In this work we present preparation, characterization and microprinting of Ti3C2/ZSM-5 ink. Printable inks with a viscosity of 5-6 cP were prepared by ultrasonic dispersion of Ti3C2/ZSM-5 nanopowders in DMSO solvent using 1% Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as dispersant. Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) results indicate a type IV adsorption isothermal curve for N2 gas with a type H4 retention ring. The data show that the average pore size of the composite material is 23nm, indicating that the material has a micro-mesoporous structure and exhibits excellent adsorption properties for gas sensing applications. However, the adsorption and desorption curves of CO2 shows hysteresis indicating strong interaction between functional groups on the material and CO2 molecules. This material has high CO2 adsorption performance and desorption hysteresis effect, indicating that it can be directly used for CO2 capture. Thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis showed the thermal stability of the composite, with a mass loss of only 5% at 800℃. Ti3C2/ZSM-5 composite ink has excellent anti-oxidation and dispersion properties. When the pure MXene interlayer void is exposed to air, the Ti element in MXene is easily oxidized to TiO2. The introduction of ZSM-5 not only limits the interaction between the functional groups on the surface of MXene, but also fills the layer gap of MXene, effectively reduces the contact with oxygen, and thus shows good oxidation resistance. No characteristic valence signal of TiO2 was observed in XPS results, which confirmed the effectiveness of the method. In addition, imidazole acid molecular sieve frame strengthened MXene adsorption, will have broad prospect of application in gas sensing field. In traditional printing methods, such as drop casting and spin coating, it is difficult to control the uniformity and roughness of coating thickness, which affects the service life and sensing properties of gas sensors. The use of spray atomization technology can maximize the uniform dispersion of ink, and can control the amount of spray, concentration, height and other parameters to control the thickness and roughness of the coating.