Production and characterization of carbide-derived-nanocarbon structures obtained by HF electrochemical etching of Ti3AlC2

Abstract

In this research, we propound a facile and efficient strategy for the synthesis of carbide-derived nanocarbon structures (CDCs) by electrochemical etching of Ti3AlC2 MAX phase in hydrofluoric acid solutions. Al, Ti and C powders were milled and used to synthesize Ti3AlC2 MAX phase powders and then, the obtained powders were sintered using spark plasma sintering (SPS) method. The obtained bulk sample was then electrochemically etched for 2 h at 5v and 20v and concentrations of 20 wt% and 10 wt% hydrofluoric acid to obtain CDC. The results showed that titanium and aluminum were extracted from the Ti3AlC2 MAX phase structure by electrochemical etching in HF solution. Structural and morphological studies of CDCs obtained by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and scanning field emission electron microscopy (FESEM) were performed. Examination of SEM and FESEM illustrations showed that the structure of CDCs consisted of graphene nanosheets. The distance and number of graphene layers were obtained according to the XRD results and the ID/IG value was assessment to be 0.81 according to Raman spectroscopy, demonstration plenty of oxygen functional groups on the surface of graphene sheets. Also, EDS analysis and XRD and Raman spectroscopy outcomes were in well agreement with SEM and FESEM images. The results were shown, at constant voltage, increasing the concentration has led to the production of more CDC nanostructures. At a constant concentration with increasing voltage amorphous carbon was formed instead of graphite. Eventually it was found that by changing the voltage and concentration of the solution, both titanium and aluminum were still extracted and CDC was formed.