Self-assembly and in-situ characterization of Ti3C2Tx in Al: A step toward additive manufacturing of MXene-metal composites

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides, known as MXenes, have grown in research interest since 2011 partly due to their impressive high electrical conductivity, stiff mechanical properties, and abundant chemically-active surface groups. These key features of MXenes make them attractive candidates for uniform coverage of metal powders for additive manufacturing of multi-functional metal composites. In this study, we report on a tunable self-assembly process of nanometer-thick 2D MXene flakes on micron-size Al particles using 1–10 wt% of single-to-few and multi-layer Ti3C2Tx MXene. In addition, we discuss the characterization of these composites using 2D x-ray diffraction (XRD2) for identification of the characteristic Ti3C2Tx diffraction peaks. Lastly, we use in-situ XRD2 paired with Vickers hardness and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy methods to understand the effect of sintering on the Ti3C2Tx morphology and the resultant mechanical properties of the bulk composite. This study aims to assist future advances in additive manufacturing of MXene-metal composites for an array of multi-functional applications.